When John Henry Berry Sr. was born on 22 November 1862, in North Carolina, United States, his father, John Henry Berry, was 25 and his mother, Emily McCulloch, was 33. He married Malissa Lavinia Vickers on 21 December 1887, in Durham, North Carolina, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 7 daughters. He lived in Lebanon Township, Orange, North Carolina, United States in 1880 and Durham Township, Durham, North Carolina, United States in 1900. He died on 18 August 1948, in Durham, Durham, North Carolina, United States, at the age of 85, and was buried in Maplewood Cemetery, Durham, Durham, North Carolina, United States.