Photo of Leroy Berrier from one of his published books, provided by Jill Green.

Leroy Berrier, eldest child of Matthew W. and Isabelle Berrier, was born in Allamakee Co. IA on Aug. 31, 1861, and grew up in Humboldt IA. In 1892 he married Maude Ostrom (b. Henry Co. IL Mar. 1870), daughter of Swedish-born parents Charles and Martha Ostrom. At later times the family lived in Minnesota, New Mexico, and Los Angeles CA. Leroy and Maude's two children, Jules and Claire, died young, sometime between 1910 and 1930.

Soon after the 1930 Census in Los Angeles, Leroy and Maude returned to Roswell NM, where he died on July 15, 1930. According to my mother, Eleanor (Berrier) Cool, Maude and her sister Clare Dodson, returned to their birthplace (Nekoma in Henry Co. IL) after their husbands' deaths.

LeRoy Berrier Dies While in New Mexico

"Word was received here Saturday of the death of LeRoy Berrier, 68 years old, son of Mrs. M. W. Berrier of Humboldt. Details concerning the death have not yet been received but it is believed to have come suddenly, Wednesday, July 16. Mr. and Mrs. Berrier had been in Roswell, New Mexico, where the former was attending to the sale of his dairy and were ready to start back for their home in Los Angeles, Calif.

"Mr. Berrier was the eldest son of Mrs. M. W. Berrier and grew up to manhood in this vicinity. For many years he had been totally blind and lately his health seemed to be in a weakened condition. He is preceded in death by his two children, Jules and Marie. His last visit to his home was last summer when he spent some time at the home of his mother."

Obituary in the Humboldt Independent, Tuesday July 22, 1930, p. 1 col. 4.

Thanks to Jill Green for providing the above obituary. Jill has also transcribed an article that Leroy contributed to the Chicago Tribune in 1909.

Here are some further accounts of this interesting man:

"He was blind, caused by a sunstroke. Leroy learned to type after going blind, and wrote a book about sex and made the mistake of sending it through the mail. The government prosecuted him and he spent some time in prison...

"He had a keen mind and as a Christian Scientist followed his religion faithfully."

-- recollection of Joseph F. Chamberlin, May 1995

Leroy Berrier authored three books around the turn of the century. Here are the Library of Congress entries.

As recounted by Joe Chamberlin, Leroy was indeed convicted of sending his book on birth control, "First Lessons in Sexual Science", through the mail in violation of the Comstock Act. Jill Green has discovered that he was pardoned after serving one year of a two-year sentence. Here is her transcription of the pardon.

Prison photographs of Leroy Berrier, 1898 (Provided by Jill Green)

Census data for Leroy Berrier:

• 1880 IA, Humboldt, Springvale Twp., Humboldt Co., p. 11
  • Roy Berrier, white male, age 19, Boarder, At school. In the home of Wm. & Henrietta Leland
• 1895 MN, Hennepin Co., Minneapolis Ward 3, Precinct 13, 1216 6th Ave. N,
  • Berrier, Le Roy, age 32, white male, b. IA, 12 yrs in state, 1 yr 1 mo. in E.D., Author for past 12 yrs.
  • Berrier, Maud, age 25, white female, b. IL, father & mother of foreign birth
  • Berrier, Jules, age 2, white male, b. MN
  • Note: there are 12 other unrelated people living at this address - maybe an apartment bldg.?
• 1900 IL, Cook Co., Evanston Ward 4, Dw. 183, Fam. 218, p. 124b-125a
  • Storkham, Alice, Head, white female, b. Nov. 1832, age 76, married 43 years, 0 children, b. MO, father b. VT, mother b. NY, Physician
  • Berrier, Leroy, Boarder, white male, b. Jul. 1863, age 36?, married 8 years, b. IA, father b. PA, mother b. PA, Author and speaker
  • Berrier, Maud, Boarder, white female, b. Mar. 1870, age 30, married 8 years, mother of 1 child 1 living, b. IL, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden,
  • Berrier, Jules, Boarder, white male, b. Mar. 1893, age 7, single, b. MN, father b. IA, mother b. IL
  • Two other boarders listed in household.
• 1905 IA, Scott Co., Davenport city, 2301 Farnam St.
  • Berrier, Leroy
  • Berrier, Maude
  • Berrier, Jules
  • Ostrom, Chas.
  • Ostrom, Clara
• 1910 NM, Chaves Co., Roswell Twp., Dw. 121, Fam. 131
  • LeRoy Berrier, Head, white male, age 48, married 18 years, b. IA, father b. PA, mother b. PA, spk. English, Trade "Literary man", "Author", can read, write, att. school since..., owns mortgaged farm.
  • Maud Berrier, Wife, white female, age 40, married 18 years, 2 children, 2 living, b. IL, father b. Swe. Swedish, mother b. Swe. Swedish, spk. English, Trade none, can read, write.
  • Jules Berrier, Son, white male, age 17, single, b. MN, father b. IA, mother b. IL, spk. English, Trade none
  • Clare Marie Berrier, Daughter, white female, age 2+?, single, b. IA, father b. IA, mother b. IL, spk. English, Trade none
  • Charles Astrom, Father-in-law, white male, age 69, widowed, b. Swe. Swedish, father b. Swe.Swedish, mother b. Swe. Swedish, imm. 1856(?), spk. English, Trade none,
  • Almer (?) Atwood Boffum (?), Boarder, white male, age 60, widowed, b. IL, father b. OH, mother b. VT, spk. English, farmer,
• 1930 CA, Los Angeles Co., Los Angeles E.D. 370 (Ancestry.com img.#5), 1116½ 21st St., Dw. 37, Fam. 43
  • Berrier, Leroy, Head, owns home val. $10,000, w/ radio set; white male, age 67, m. at age 28, not att. school, can read & write, b. IA, father b. PA, mother b. PA, can spk. English, occupation None
  • Berrier, Maud, Wife, white female, age 60, m. at age 21, not att. school, can read & write, b. IL, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden, can spk. English, occupation None
  • Dodson, Frank D., brother-in-law, white male, age 60, m. at age 57, not att. school, can read & write, b. PA, father b. PA, mother b. PA, can spk. English, occupation Golf instructor at Golf course
  • Dodson, Clare C., sister-in-law, white female, age 50, m. at age 47, not att. school, can read & write, b. IL, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden, can spk. English, occupation None

Maude (Ostrom) Berrier

Maude (Ostrom) Berrier and son Jules, abt. 1900

Maude's birth date: 21-Mar-1870 [Obituary]
Maude's birth place: Nekoma, IL [Obituary]
Maude's death date: 18-Oct-1961 [Obituary]
Maude's death place: Galva, IL [Obituary]
Maude's interment: Galva Cemetery [Obituary]

Maud's parents, Charles and Martha "Mattie" (Olson) Ostrom, were born in Sweden in about 1840; they married in Henry Co. IL on 10-Jan-1869. According the the 1910 Chaves Co. NM Census, Charles immigrated in 1856, presumably with his parents. In 1870 and 1880, his mother Margaret (b. abt. 1800) was living with Charles and his family. Next door were (older brother?) Andrew and Margaret Ostrom (both born in Sweden) and their son Charles W. (b. IL Aug. 1869).

Here are the Census data:

• 1870 IL, Henry Co., Weller Twp., P.O. Nekoma, Dw. 200, Fam. 280, p. 150a
  • Olstrom, Chas, white male, age 29, Farmer, b. Sweden, foreign-born parents
  • Olstrom, Martha, white female, age 30, Keeps house, b. Sweden, foreign-born parents
  • Olstrom, -------, white female, age 2 mo., b. IL, b. March, foreign-born parents
  • Olstrom, Margaret, white female, age 69, no occupation, b. Sweden, foreign-born parents
• 1880 IL, Henry Co., Weller Twp., Dw. 279, Fam. 288
  • Ostrom, Charley, white male, age 39, married, Farmer, b. Sweden, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden
  • Ostrom, Martha, white female, age 40, married, Keeping house, b. Sweden, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden
  • Ostrom, Mary A., white female, age 10, Daughter, single, at home, att. school, b. IL, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden
  • Ostrom, Clarie S., white female, age 8, Daughter, single, at home, att. school, b. IL, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden
  • Ostrom, Margaret, white female, age 79, Mother, married, no occup., b. Sweden, father b. Sweden, mother b. Sweden