Hannah was born in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, on the 2d day of November, 1812, and is the daughter of Jesse Devore and Polly Black.

She moved to Mississippi when a small child, and started to Texas from "Jackson's New Purchase," 150 miles above Vicksburg, in 1826. The family made several stops on the route, and arrived in Texas and settled in Liberty County in 1828. On the 8th of May 1831 she married John Berry, of Kentucky, who came to Texas in 1826. Mr. Berry was a gunsmith by trade, and his services in the new country were almost indispensable. He received a league of land from the Mexican government as one of Robinson's colonists.

In 1834 the family moved to Bastrop, and Mr. Berry made knives, guns, and pistols, and mended all the broken ones in the country.

In 1836, when Col. David Crockett of Tennessee came to Bastrop on his way to join Col. William B. Travis at the Alamo, in San Antonio, he had with him a very fine gun, but it had been broken off at the breech, and he was very anxious to have it mended before reaching San Antonio. Some one said to Colonel Crockett when the broken gun was mentioned, "Take it to John Berry; he can fix it for you."

Crockett came to Berry's shop in company with John McGee and brought the gun with him. Mr. Berry examined it, and saying he could fix it all right, at once set about the work. A large silver band was placed around the broken place, and so securely fastened that it was as strong as ever and very ornamental when polished and flowered off. Colonel Crockett was well pleased, and said it was now better than it was at first.

The gun was lost in the Alamo when Crockett was killed in the famous battle. Mention has been made several times of Crockett's beautiful silver mounted rifle which was taken by the Mexican army to Mexico when the war was over. The silver part of it was the band over the broken place put there by John Berry. Mrs. Berry says she would know the gun now if she could see it by the silver band she watched her husband put there. She remembered well how Colonel Crockett looked, and says he did not wear a cap while at Bastrop.

When the Alamo was taken, a messenger arrived and told the people to retreat back out of danger until the settlers who were rallying under Gen. Sam Houston could meet the victorious Mexicans in battle. This is the beginning of what was later called "The Runaway Scrape." During the runaway, the colonists gathered a few personal possessions, abandoned their homes, and headed eastward under most difficult conditions. Rain and cold weather during the period slowed the their eastward progress along the muddy roads and trails. There was widespread hunger and sickness, and many died. News of Santa Anna's atrocities (some true, but some distorted by rumor) added to the frenzy.

The Berry family and a few others went to Fort Parker, taking the stepmother of Gen. Edward Burleson and her five children. One of the Burleson children went in Mr. Berry's wagon.

There were numerous long, anxious days for those in the fort, especially those who had sons and husbands in Gen Sam Houston's army. Staying three weeks in the fort, Mrs. Berry knew the famous Cynthia Ann Parker well, who was then a very small girl.

Although John Berry didn't join the army, three of his sons by his first wife (Betsy Smeathers) had gone to strike a blow for liberty. To wit, John Bate, Andrew Jackson, and Joseph.

Messengers from arrived from San Jacinto, bringing news of Houston's resounding victory. Returning to their home in Bastrop, they found their house burned and all of their stock driven off by the Mexicans.

John B, and Andrew J. took part in the Battle of San Jacinto, but Joseph arrived too late. Cornelius Devore, brother of Mrs. Berry, was also in the battle.

John Berry and Hannah Devore had twelve children. They were:

Polly Mary Berry, 1832; Emanuel Berry, 1834; John Berry Jr., 1836; Jane Berry, 1839; Julia Ann Berry, 1842; Catherine Anne Berry, 1842; Joseph F. Berry, 1846; Clarissa Berry, (abt) 1851; Silas Berry, 1852; Patrick Henry Berry, (abt) 1855; Virginia Devore Berry, (abt) 1855, and George Washington Berry, 1857.

Shortly before her death in 1904, Hannah was interviewed by the esteemed Texas historian A.J. Sowell and her life story is also found in "Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas," published in Austin, Texas 1900. An excerpt from Sowell's account:

"Grandma Berry has seventy-four grandchildren that she knows of, and one hundred and twenty-four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Her oldest daughter is 64 years old. Emanuel, her oldest son, is 64. Her next, John, is 60, and her youngest is 40 years old. Very few people live to see their children become old and gray around them, or such a numerous offspring of grandchildren. She is a small woman, with hair white as snow and a healthy-looking round face without many wrinkles, considering her age."

America's most decorated WWII veteran, Audie Leon Murphy is also among her many descendants.

Note: The name Devore is also spelled as Devoe.