Gleanings from records in Gates county - the Barnes family

As I mentioned in my last post, we now have a starting point to go further back on my ancestor John Sanders Barnes. As soon as I heard about the Gates county area, I began looking through estate files for the area. They are available on both familysearch.org and on ancestry.

For several years I had thought Frances Smith was the mother of John Sanders Barnes. She lived in his home and her death was recorded in his bible. There is a deed and an agreement from 1839 where for a dollar Frances gave John all her land, slaves, etc and in turn he agreed to care for her and her daughter Jane Horton. When we found the bastardy bonds, it begs the question why did she do this. When John became the apprentice of her husband Robert Smith, he was around 13 years old. Robert died in 1830 so John wasn't 21 when he died. Did John stick around and help her? Was she a relative. Thus far I have still found no working connection. I am not convinced she's not a relative, but if she is, we don't know how.

As I mentioned before the Barnes family of Gates county that appears to be ours we can trace in wills. In 1759 Richard and Mary Barnes have an order to divide an estate. Thomas Barnes estate was to be divided between Thomas Barnes, Prudence Barnes, Joseph Brady the husband of Lydia Barnes, and to Richard Hamilton the husband of Rachel Barnes. Mary's estate was to be divided between those four and Alex Carter, the husband of Ann, Edward Vann, the husband of Mary, John Thompson the husband of Sarah, Abraham Odom husband of another of Mary's children. Many of the online genealogies have these as Richard's children and Mary as an Odom.  I believe these are Richard's step children. There are also descendants of the Vann's who state Mary was a descendant of the sister of Pocohontas. Without further proof, I am not going to include that information here. With my long standing history and research among the Choctaws, I am skeptical of anything that is not proven on paper. This record is in Chowan county.

In 1759 a Thomas Barnes married Elizabeth Blanchard. The will of Thomas Barnes in 1782 in Gates county (will states Perquimans) names his children. Sons Benjamin, Richard and Thomas and daughters Millie Parker (wife of Joseph Parker), Sarah Barnes (who marries Peter Parker), Bethany Goodman (wife of James Goodman), Elizabeth Barnes (who married Henry Goodman), Charlotte or Lotty Barnes (who married Charles King) and Catey Barnes (no more records found). It is interesting to note his will is witnessed by a Jesse Barnes. 

Other records for this area show that Thomas Barnes and Henry King were neighbors, along with Isaac Pipkin and a Dempsey Bond (who also appears as Barnes in records). The Parkers, Saunders and Goodman families also appear in various deeds that have been transcribed for this area. As we can see 60 years later, these families are still in the same vicinity.

Benjamin Barnes married Margaret or Peggy Pipkin. His will in 1809 mentioned in his estate his brother Richard.  and children, John Barnes, Elizabeth Boyd, Benjamin Barnes, Isaac Barnes, Milley Barnes, Charity Barnes, and Peggy Barnes. Guardian for the minor children was Thomas Barnes Elizabeth married Eldridge Gaitling. Isaac Barnes died in 1814. Milly Barnes married a Bond and died without issue. Deeds show only these as her heirs in 1828, Charity the wife of Eldred Cross, Benjamin Barnes and the heirs of Eldred Gaitiling. There is no estate for the John Barnes from this line.

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Richard Barnes married Charity Pipkin and then Prudence Cross. He died in 1812. His estate was interstate. Here are notes I made for this estate. Nancy, Sarah and Jethro were minor children. Nancy and Sarah are listed as heirs of Isaac Pipkin. Jethro received his share of  the estates of his brothers John, Henry, Richard and his sister Ann. Jethro’s guardian was Hardy Cross (Jethro was born 1810). Records indicate William Barnes (executor Isaac Pipkins), and Prudence Cross Barnes Williams (her share of Hardy Cross estate) were income into the estate. William and Isaac Pipkins both died later in 1815. Heirs in 1818 Prudence (widow), Jethro, Pipkin, James and Sarah Barnes. The representatives of Henry, Richard Jr, Ann, John and William all deceased. Ann died in 1819. Division of negros specifies that James, Pipkin and Sarah are grandchildren of Isaac Pipkins. Only Jethro is a child of Prudence. Sarah married Edward Howell. Although Charity Barnes preceded Richard in death, there is an estate for her share of Isaac Pipkins estate in records.

Thomas Barnes died in 1814. He was married to a Priscilla. His will mentions his wife Priscilla and children Jesse Barnes, Mary Gaitling, Peggy Barnes, Thomas Barnes, Sally Barnes, Richard Barnes, and Martha Barnes. Jesse Barnes was guardian of children of Thomas Barnes. Sally married an Arnold. The children who were minors in 1815 (Margaret died by 1827, Richard until 1827, Martha Barnes died by 1825 Thomas Barnes until 1825). There is a deed from Richard and Thomas in 1829 indicate they were in Hertford county. 

James Barnes who died also in 1809. His wife was Elizabeth Meroney. His will mentions children John Barnes, James Barnes, Joseph Barnes, Benjamin Barnes, William Sumner Barnes, Patsy Pailin Barnes, Elizabeth Barnes wife Elizabeth. This William Barnes died in 1824 (William Sumner Barnes) his orphans were Mary Adaline and Martha Eliza Barnes. Benjamin Barnes died prior to William S. Barnes, his estate was divided between his siblings. This is the John Barnes who married Christian Brinkley.

I have no idea how he relates if at all to the other Barnes family, since it appears that Thomas Barnes Sr was the only son. I do know from land deeds he was a neighbor of the family.

 

The Barnes Family - a new chapter in our research

There are a lot of the descendants of John Sanders Barnes and Sarah Ann Owens running around, but there aren't that many of us researching. A few years ago, Galahad one of the cousins researching found and shared the pictures of the Barnes family bible. In January I received a message from Georgette that gave us a whole new chapter in our research for John Sanders Barnes.

John Sanders Barnes was born in Gates county, North Carolina. He was an illegitimate child of Mary "Polly" Sanders (some records show Saunders for this area) and John Barnes. In 1819 he was apprenticed to William Summers Barnes and in 1824 to Robert Smith. There are no bonds for these apprenticeships, just a line in the court minutes. There are though records for him in the Bastardy bond files from 1811-1819.

I believe that Mary "Polly" Sanders is the daughter of Henry Saunders. Thomas Barnes was the executor for the estates of both Henry and his brother Joseph. Joseph had only one child, also a Mary but she was married by 1811 to Elijah Cross. The other Sanders/Saunders of the area, including Laurence a neighbor, are descendants of a Jesse Sanders who leaves a will. I can find no Mary in this family that seems of an age to fit. Thomas Barnes was also the guardians of all of the Saunder children and he was a neighbor to his brothers Richard and Benjamin, and to a James Barnes who I can't connect but is surely a relative.

Benjamin Barnes died in 1809 and he has a son named John. Richard Barnes died in 1814 and he has a son named John. From estate records we know that the son of Richard named John died by 1819-1820. Which is why I think his John is the father of our John Sanders Barnes. It is important to note however, that both Benjamin and Richard married sisters, daughters of Isaac Pipkin and Charity Goodman. The James Barnes who was a neighbor to Thomas, Benjamin and Richard (named in their father's will, also a Thomas Barnes), had a son John who also was married in 1811,

Henry Sanders and his brother Joseph Sanders are the sons of Sarah King Sanders, who in her will names lands she received of her father Henry King. We know that Henry King is the son of William King who was a son of Michael King and Elizabeth Hiry (Hare most likely given the other records). The records for all of these folks, are mainly in Chowan, Nansemond and Gates county.

Is DNA leading us to a clue on George Washington Adams?

Among the DNA matches two of my mom's Adam's cousins have is a family that descends from Robert Warson Adams and Rebecca Wylie through their son James Robert Adams born 1769 and his wife Annie Blankenship.

Though the family doesn't reside in a county adjacent to Hamilton County, they do live in Tennessee. Thus far we  have only a few connections to this family, but it is a common match for descendants that only share Jason Arthur Adams in common.

Our elusive ancestor, George Washington Adams, the father of Jason seems to be the best place to look for the match. The Rogers DNA is showing clear direction to the relatives of Henry Rogers, and none of the members of these matches trees relate to those families (Anderson, Wallen and Blevins). Given that the only other member of the family who could relate to this family would be Mahala, the wife of Henry, we know that one of those two would have to be the connection.

If in fact we can identify further matches to the cousins (mom, her second cousin and her first cousin once removed) to this Adams family, I think we may finally have the break we need.

We know that the family resided in Monroe county, Tennessee. Descendants end up in St. Clair, Alabama and in Pulaski county, Missouri. For those other Adams descendants out there, I wanted to share this possible link as a place to look.

DNA gleanings on the Hardy family - a working theory

Five members of the family, all descendants of Gardner and Harriet Hardy are among the people I have access to the DNA results. I have also contacted and messaged other relatives who have tested. What we know is that every member has DNA linking them to the Bobo family. Additional data shows that everyone also has DNA matches to the descendants of Ephraim King.

My father has some of the larger matches to the Bobo family. All of his matches are direct descendants of Spencer Bobo and his wife Beulah Yarborough. The other four folks have matches to descendants of several Bobo's, with Spencer prevalent among them. What this means to me is that any connection we have is from the Bobo family directly.

Because all of the descendants are from Gardner and Harriet (through Shep Sr, Ephraim and Robert Hardy), the connection has to come from either Gardner Hardy's mother or Harriet. I suspect that the connection is through the mother of Gardner. Like the Hardy or Hardee family, the Bobo's are in nearby South Carolina around this time. Descendants of Thomas Edward Hardee are also showing matches to the Bobo's, but I can't prove this isn't just a coincidence. I can't yet figure out where this connection is, but it is certainly a starting point.

As for Ephraim King, we know he was born in North Carolina, moved to Georgia and died in Coffee County, Alabama in 1855. In 1850 he does have a child Harriet in his home, but the 1840 census does not include a child her age, and I think she is not a child but a grandchild, contrary to the researchers of this family. We know that Ephraim and his family lived about 5 miles from Gardner Hardy based on the land records for everyone. We know that in 1850 Gardner Hardy and Harriet are living with a John S. King in Santa Rosa county, Florida. We know that Gardner Hardy and Harriet name their youngest son Ephraim.

I think that Harriet is definitely a relative of Ephraim King, and I wish I could find them in 1830 to prove my theory that she is his daughter.

The Quakers of Loudon - descendants of William Trahern

I spent some time a few weeks ago reading through the minutes of the Quaker meetings of Loudon county. I wish the ones from Calvert were available, because I learned a lot. If you were a Quaker you are really easy to track. If you married, whether another Quaker or a non Quaker, it was recorded. If you moved away from the area, it was recorded. The comings and goings of the Quaker's was so well recorded, I wish all my ancestors were Quakers.

Tax lists of 1786 show that both William Trahern and James Trahern, sons of William Trahern and Rebecca were over the age of 21. That means that both Rebecca and William had at least two children prior to the death of a William Trahern, cabinet maker, in 1760 in Calvert County. I had thought that this William was the father of Nehemiah, but now I am not so sure. I think that this William is in fact the brother of Nehemiah whose listed as a relative along with Robert Glover. The transcription gives the widow name as Robert, but I have to wonder if it was an abbreviated for of Rebecca that was transcribed as Robert in error.

We know Rebecca was a Quaker. Her arrival to the Loudon area is recorded as are the acceptance of her children into the Quaker church in 1785. Her meeting changed because a new meeting was formed where she lived, but in the older meetings her children are among witnesses on some of the marriage certificates available.

There is no mention of William Trahern ever marrying. He is on the Tax lists of Loudon through 1804. I think  that the Sarah Trahern who is in the 1810 and 1820 census is the sister of James and William Trahern and that the children are her nieces and nephews, as there is also no mention of the marriage of Sarah. Nor did James remarry. It isn't until after the death of his wife that we see Sarah appear in the Quaker minutes. A spinster, she wasn't involved until her sister in law died.

James Trahern and Dianna Gregg were very active members of the church, as was Rebecca.

Answers at last, but then more questions- John Sanders Barnes

A Barnes cousin that I contacted several years ago messaged me a few weeks ago. He payed a researcher to do some research for him in North Carolina. The researcher found a goldmine among the deeds of Gates County, North Carolina.

A deed from Frances Smith to John Sanders Barnes, for her love of him, and one dollar gives all her possessions, land and slaves, to John S. Barnes of Russell County, Alabama. John S. Barnes agreed to care for Frances and her daughter Jane Horton. Since both of these ladies are in my ancestor John Sanders Barnes home in 1850 in Russell county, AL there is no doubt that this does prove there is a relationship between the two.

The most logical relationship would be that John S. Barnes is a son of Frances. A will dated 1824 and put to court in 1831 for Robert Smith in Gates County, North Carolina leaves most all of his property to his widow Frances Smith and to his "daughter in law" (step daughter), Jane Parker he leaves some furniture. He also leaves some furniture to David Parker and his children.  Robert Smith's home in 1820 in Gates county has a male the age of John S. Barnes in his home, as well as female the age of Jane. David Parker if I have found him, was the age of  Jane Parker, about a decade older than John.

So it would appear that John is Frances' son. The only other relationship I could think possible is that Frances is his Aunt.

Gates county, North Carolina, and the surrounding counties in North Carolina and Nansemond county, Virginia are riddled with Barnes and Sanders. I think we found the right place. Unfortunately, none of the estates in probate have thus far yielded a father for John. We know that the land that Frances gave John, and they later sold comes from an Estate from 1814. However, this is not an estate John or Frances are involved in. Was this Barnes (Thomas Barnes) a relative of John's father? It's a good question. It may be that deeds will be the avenue that we discover this truth.

As for Frances, is she a Sanders? It is difficult to tell. Unfortunately Nansemond is a burned county. We may never find the information about her in a paper trail.

Where were the Johnson's in Conecuh

I have always wondered if the Johnsons and some of the Johnston's of Conecuh were related in ways we just haven't identified. Looking at where my family lived in Conecuh I have found the following. Given that each section is defined as a square  mile, I am using that as a basis for my description of locations based on the landmarks found in plat maps located here. Neighbors are coming from the BLM patent search which gives related documents in the same section, neighbors listed had land at the same time or before the patent issued to my relative.

William Burton Johnson has two land patents for Township 6 range 11e,parts of sections 28 and section 14 in 1843 and posthumously in 1848. His brother Washington Johnson purchased parts of section 20 in the same township and range in 1835. The earliest patent for William B Johnson is in 1826 as an assignee for William D. Stone for part of section 28 in the same township.

From the plat map I found, it looks like section 14 is north of Evergreen and the Olive Branch Church is located in it, and Section 28 is part of Evergreen. William Burton Johnson's neighbors were Mitchell Burford, William D. Stone and John Salter in section 28 and in Section 14 his neighbors were Ezekiel Attaway, Green Brantley, Lewis Franklin, Michael Harris, Elisha Joiner and James Salter. His brother Washington's land would have been just northeast of the current town of Evergreen and the section is divided diagonally by Cane Creek. His only neighbor in 1835 was James Tomlinson.

 The brother in law of William and Washington Johnson, Wesley Young had land in township 6N range 10e part of section 25 and also in township 5N range 10e section 35. Section 25 of township 6N range 10e has Murder Creek running through it and the western border of the section is about 3/4 a mile east from New Centennial No 1 Church and Riley Cemetery. Wesley Young's neighbors for this section was Isaac Brown. His land in Township 5N range 10e section 35 would have been about 3/4 mile south to the  northern boundary line of the section from Hamlin Ridge Church. His neighbors were Curry Claiborne, John McIntyre, Samuel Oliver, William Lyman and Mabry thomas.

In 1860 Elizabeth Parker Johnson obtains land in Township 7N range 10e part of section 24 while William Washington Johnson obtains land in 1848 in township 6N range 11e part of section 23 and in 1860 in township 7N range 10e  parts of section 35 and section 26. His brother George N. Johnson bought land in part of section 20 of township 7N range 10E in 1860 as well. Samuel C. Johnson purchased land in township 6N range 11e part of section 11.

It looks like William W. Johnson's closest neighbors in section 26 were his cousin Smith Johnson, Edmond Joiner and Benjamin Amerson all buying the land also in 1860 and an Amos Archer who patented land in the section in 1835. This section is  about 1 mile south and east of Centenary Church and a road labeled 22 runs through it. Additions neighbors in Section 35 were George Stokes, Josiah Kolb, James Witherington and James Stallworth. Section 35 is just below section 26 contains a town Bookers Mill and is just over 1 mile slightly northwest of Witherington Cemetery (the southern boundary line for the section).  His earlier land, located in section 23 of township 6n and Range 11e in 1848 would have been about 3/4 mile to the northern boundary of the section line from Olive Branch Church. His neighbors in Section 23 were Archy Gary, Joshua Evers, and William Rabb.

Elizabeth Parkers land in 1860 would be in the section above the section just east of William W. Johnson's. Her closest neighbor who had land in that section was Harris Brantley. George N. Johnson's land was located less than a mile from Fairnelson and within 3 miles of the land of his brother William W. Johnson and his mother Elizabeth Johnson. His neighbors were Louisa Auld, Douglas and Susan Harris, and  Henry Waldron. George N. Johnson died during the Civil War and his children were raised in Georgia.

Samuel C. Johnson's land was located about a half a mile north on the southern boundary for the section of Millageville Church. His only neighbor was Thomas Mosely who purchased land in that section on the same date in 1858. We know that Samuel C. Johnson was a minister who preached in Santa Rosa county, Florida before moving to Texas later in life.