Edward Berry was born in Clara Hill Townland, Queens County, Ireland, March 19, 1827.

    Resolving at an early age to consecrate his life to the services of God, he entered St. Patrick's College, Carlow, Ireland, to prepare himself for the sacred ministry of the altar. After spending years in diligent study and in thorough preparation, on May 11, 1856 he received the sacrament of Holy Orders.

    Soon after he was ordained ot the Holy Priesthood, Father Berry was sent by his superiors to America.

    About this time, owing to the adverse conditions which prevailed in Ireland, resulting from the failure of crops, and also from the oppressive landlord system, Catholics were emigrating from there to America in great numbers. Father Berry was one of the many priests sent hither to look after the spiritual needs of these emigrants from Erin.

    Coming direct to St. Louis, Mo. from Carlow, Ireland, Father Berry presented himself before Most Rev. Peter Richard Kenrick, Archbishop of the diocese of St. Louis, who immediately assigned him to the parish in Jefferson City, MO., as assistant to the pastor of that place, Rev. W. Walsh. He remained but a few years in Jefferson city, when he was transferred to St. Bridget's Church, St. Louis, MO. as assistant to Rev. D. Lillis. At one time he had charge of the parish on Indian Creek, Monroe County, Missouri.

    In 1864 Father Berry was appointed pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Parish of Armagh, Franklin County, Missouri. In addition to this, he was given charge of St. Bridgets Church Parish of Downpatrick, Franklin County, and of St. Columbkille's Church on Big River, Jefferson County, Mo.

    The territory embraced in these three parishes was in the form of a circle about twenty miles in diameter. It extended as far north of Pacific as the State Road, to far beyond Maddox Mill (now known as Cedar Hill) on the south, and from Calvey (now Robertsville) in Franklin County, on the west, to House Springs and High Ridge in Jefferson County, on the east. It included also a considerable portion of St. Louis County.

    To give the reader some idea of the condition of the parishes just mentioned when Father Berry was appointed and of the vast amount of work that lay before him, we shall recount a few facts relative to the growth of these parishes up to that time.

    The parish of Armagh was established by Most Rev. P.R. Kenrick, it is thought, in 1844, Rev. P. Donelly being the first pastor. The first date could not be ascertained by the writer as the records of St. Patrick's Church were destroyed by fire.

    At this early date, we must remember, the country along the Meramec River where it flows through Franklin, Jefferson, and St. Louis Counties was, for the most part, one vast wilderness. The cultivated fields, comfortable dwellings, and numererous villages which now adorn the banks of the beautiful stream were never dreamed of. The only roads were those merely blazed through the forest, and in the places where bridges now span the river, it had to be crossed by fording or in canoes hollowed from the trunks of trees. Where the stillness of night is now disturbed by the rumbling of cars and shriek of a locomotive, then could be heard only the hooting of owls and the barking of wolves. Here and there at considerable distance apart, might be seen rudely constructed log houses standing in little open fields. These were the humble homes of the pioneers: the honest and patient men who braved the hardships and perils of pioneer life, who slowly but surely made fields of the forests, and who laid the foundation of civilization and prosperity in the foot-hills of the Ozarks.

Many of these early settlers were Catholics, some of whom had come hither from Ireland, others from New Orleans, and from t he Eastern states.

    That the spiritual welfare of these isolated children of the Roman Catholic Church might be provided for, the first missions in these parts were established.

    About four miles south of where Pacific now stands, the first st. Patrick's Church was erected on the right bank of the Meramec River in Franklin County, under the direction of Father Donnely. The site chosen for the first church is an elevated plot of level ground overlooking the Meramec, near the Priest's Ford. The walls of the church were built of hewn logs, and it was covered with clapboard roof. Although eighty years have passed since this church was built, its ruins may still be seen, but most of those who attended the first services within whose walls now slumber beneath their silent shadows. A few weather-beaten marble headstone, bearing images of the Crucifixion, or ones of a similar nature, tell the passerby that the silent tenants of this sacred though secluded spot, were Catholics.  Far, far away from their native land, the toils and struggles of life being ended, they lay their burden down. In the language of Holy Mother Church, we may say, "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord! and let perpetual light shine upon them."

    But to return to our subject, Father Donnely remained but a few years in the country after the building of St. Patricks. He was called into St. Louis by the Most Rev. Archbishop and made assistant at the Old Cathedral about 1848. His name will always be affectionately remembered by the Catholics of the parish of Armagh.

    It seems that from 1848 to 1853, there was no resident priest in Armagh and the parish was attended by various priests.

    The priest would come from Richwoods, or often a good father would ride on horseback all the way from Kirkwood or St.Louis to celebrate mass at St. Patricks.

    Among those attending the early missions were the late Canon O'Hanlan, Father O Regan Father Stehle, Father Ward, Father Fox, Father Hamill, and Father Flemming.

    Canon O'Hanlan of Sandymount, Bublin, recounts his experience while attending the mission on the banks of the Meramec River, in Franklin County, Missouri, in his book entitled "Memoirs of the Early Missions." In this connection he says: "In those early days there was no parochial residence. The priest, while attending the mission, was lodged in the home of one of the Catholic parishioners. It was nothing unusual, after a long day's ride, to have one's slumber disturbed in the middle of the night by the squalling of a chicken, the squealing of a young pig, or the cleating of a lamb, which some ravenous wolf was carrying away in triumph to the wild LaBarque Hills."

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