John Barnett (abt. 1752 - 1833)

Born about 6 Mar 1752 in Amelia, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Lucy (Matlock) Barnett — married 23 Feb 1772 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 24 Nov 1833 at about age 81 in Rockingham, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Sergeant John Barnett served with 7th Virginia Regiment (1781), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

John Barnett is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A006463.

John Barnett, the son of James Barnett and his wife, Anne (Davis) Barnett, was born 6 March 1752 in Amelia County, Virginia.^[1][2]

John married Lucy Matlock (also seen as Medlock) on 23 February 1772.^[2][3] Seven children were born to John and Lucy.

John served in the Revolutionary War from 1780-1783 in Benjamin Brigg's Company, 7th Virginia Regiment.^[4]The 7th was based at Fort Pitt in the Western Region. John served as a sergeant from his enlistment sometime in 1780 to 22 March 1782 and then was reduced to private. He was confined (ill) in August of 1782 and on furlough in June of 1783.

John purchased land from his son James Barnett that included a grist mill and a saw mill. The canal that was built for the mill and the mill were sold to John Morehead, the founder of a textile mill. The mill grew into the town of Spray, North Carolina, now known as Eden. John later sold this land to his nephew and son-in-law, William Barnett.^[5]

The John Barnett household of 1820 consisted of one male age under ten, one male age forty-five and upwards (John), one female age forty-five and upwards (likely wife Lucy) and eleven enslaved people.^[6]

In 1823, John Barnett deeded property to his grandchildren (the children of his daughter, Ann (Barnett) Walker, namely James, John, David, William, Thomas, Samuel, Lucy, Martha and Henry Walker.^[7] The gift included four enslaved people: Jacob, age 14; Charles, age 8; Nancy, age 20; and Dafney, age 17 as well as a wagon, four horses, a sugar chest, and $700. This gift may have coincided with the Walker family's move to Perry County, Tennessee.

A deed from 1838 indicated John had given his daughter Ann the following enslaved people: Nancy, Charles, Mehala, Sand, Dick and Pleasant.^[8]

Will

John's will named his children Ann Walker, Betsey Phillips, Lucy Barnett, James Barnett, Thomas Barnett, Nathaniel Barnett.^[9] Also mentioned were Micajah Davis (uncle) and (son-in-law) Adam Walker. Boarding for Edward Barnett's children began in 1826 indicating Edward was likely deceased by that time. The will named enslaved people who had worked for John's son Nathaniel in prior years and money was owed to John Barnett for their labor. Those named included Jim, Tom, Pleasant, Peter, and Bob. The years of their labor were 1825-1832.

John is buried in the Barnett Family Cemetery, Eden, Rockingham County, North Carolina.^[5]

Slaves

1820

• The Slaves of John Barnett, 1820
  
  

1823

• Jacob Barnett Walker
• Charles Barnett Walker
• Nancy Barnett Walker
• Dafney Barnett Walker

1825-1832 (working for Nathaniel Barnett)

• Tom Barnett
• Jim Barnett
• Peter Barnett
• Bob Barnett

Date unknown, prior to 1833, documented in 1838

• Nancy Barnett Walker
• Charles Barnett Walker
• Mehala Barnett Walker
• Sandy Barnett Walker
• Dick Barnett Walker
• Pleasant Barnett Walker

Sources

1. ↑ "Descendants of James Barnett ([1] : accessed 25 June 2023).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Membership Application, Thelma Rutherford Harrison, Member number 464682, 5 December 1958, Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C.
3. ↑ “Williams-Venable family Bible record, 1772-1935,” digital images, Library of Virginia (catalog entry : accessed 10 December 2021), transcription by Miss Emma Moore Williams, 18 September 1936, with affidavit of Mrs William Bell Tippetts, holder of Bible, 19 February 1960.
4. ↑ Compiled Service Record, John Barnett, 7th Virginia Regiment, Benjamin Briggs Company, Revolutionary War] digital images, Fold3 (Fold3 : accessed 3 December 2021; citing NARA, M881, Roll 1020.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Find A Grave, database and images (Find A Grave: Memorial #42805136 : accessed 3 December 2021, memorial 42805136, John Barnett, (1752-1833), memorial created by David Clay, transcribed stone found buried at Barnett Family Cemetery, Eden, Rockingham County, North Carolina.
6. ↑ 1820 U.S. Census, Rockingham County, North Carolina, population schedule, No district provided, page 630-631 (stamped), line 25 (hand counted), John Barnett; digital image, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YTB-SXL3 : accessed 13 December 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 82.
7. ↑ Rockingham County, North Carolina, "Deed Book X,” pages 230-232, John Barnett to his grandchildren James Walker, John Walker, David Walker, William Walker, Thomas Walker, Samuel Walker, Lucy Walker, Martha Walker and Henry Walker, Deed of Gift, 6 March 1823; digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L98Q-3QYR : accessed 5 November 2021), FHL Film #007517701; citing North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Raleigh.
8. ↑ Benton County, Tennessee, "Deed Book A, 1836-1843,” page 104-105, Wm. B. Walker to Thomas Walker, Right and Title in estate given to heirs of Ann Walker, 8 August 1838; digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-2TZ9-N9 : accessed 5 November 2021), FHL Film #004776286 images 71 and 72; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville.
9. ↑ “North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970,” Rockingham County, Wills, Volume B, Entry for John Barnett, pages 82-84, digital images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9GCV-JWD : accessed 28 November 2021); citing county courthouses.