Ellis Yarnal Berry

Ellis Yarnall Berry (October 6, 1902 - April 1, 1999) was a newspaper publisher and member of the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Larchwood, Iowa, and graduated from Philip High School in Philip, South Dakota.

He was a student at Morningside College from 1920 through 1922, and received a law degree from the University of South Dakota in 1927. He was admitted to the bar that same year and started his practice in Kennebec, South Dakota, moving to McLaughlin, South Dakota in 1929. He also went to serve as state's attorney, probate court judge for Corson County, and mayor of McLaughlin. He was elected to the South Dakota State Senate from 1939 through 1943.

In 1950, he was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives, and reelected nine consecutive times, retiring in 1971. He became a resident of Rapid City, South Dakota, where he remained until his death there in 1999.

In civilian life, he was the publisher of the newspapers "Mclaughlin Messenger" beginning in 1938, "McIntosh News" ad "Morristown World" beginning in 1952. He was also editor of the State Bar Association Journal from 1938 through 1950.

When Berry retired from Congress in 1971, he donated his papers to Black Hills State University. BHSU's Library-Learning Center is named for Congressman Berry. The Berry Collection is housed at the E. Y. Berry Library-Learning Center of Black Hills State University and consists of more than 500 boxes of manuscript materials.

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References

*"Biographical Director of the United States Congress, 1774-1989: Bicentennial Edition." United States: Government Printing Office, 1989. ISBN 0-16-006384-1

*"E. Y. Berry Library-Learning Center. [http://iis.bhsu.edu/lis/specialcollections/berry.cfm] "