
Person Info
Zachariah Barnes: Birth: ABT 1770 in North Hampton, , North Carolina, USA. Death: 24 OCT 1849 in Estill, Kentucky, United States
Isabella Lucy Barnes: Birth: 17 JAN 1770 in Rowan, , North Carolina, USA. Death: 1856 in Buchanan, Missouri, United States
Moses Barnes: Birth: 1774 in North Hampton, , North Carolina, USA. Death: 1 OCT 1847 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States
Thomas Barnes: Birth: 1775 in , , North Carolina, United States. Death: 15 MAY 1822 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States
Aaron Barnes: Birth: 1780 in , Bourbon, Kentucky, United States. Death: 1840 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States
Elizabeth Barnes: Birth: 1781 in Tates Creek, Madison, Kentucky, USA. Death: APR 1818 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States
Brinsley Barnes: Birth: 4 JAN 1784 in North Carolina, United States. Death: 24 JUL 1858 in Rush, Indiana, United States
Edward Barnes: Birth: 1788 in Wilkes, North Carolina, United States. Death: 1837 in Estill, Kentucky, United States
James Barnes: Birth: 1790 in , , Kentucky, United States.
Rachel Barnes: Birth: 21 JUL 1791 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States. Death: 13 MAR 1858 in Elizabeth, Jo Daviess, Illinois, USA
Ann Barnes: Birth: 1794 in Fayette, Kentucky, United States. Death: 1860
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Note: 1810 Census Estill County Kentucky Page 484 - Brinsley Barnes Males 45+ (1) Females -10 (2) 10-16 (2) 26-45 (1) 1810 Census Fayette County Kentucky Page 513 - Brinsley Barnes Males 16-25 (1) 45+ (1) Females 10-16 (1) 45+ (1) This double listing of Brinsley was probably caused by the geographical division of his land around 1810 when Estill County was formed from a portion of Fayette County. From Mick Barnes book, "Brinsley Barnes": The name Brinsley was obtained from various unconfirmed/undocumented genealogy files as well as from land deed transactions between Brinsley Barnes Jr. and his father, immigrant Brinsley Barnes Sr., in Chatham County, NC. More specifically, the relationship is states as '...Brinsley Barnes Jun. son of the said Brinsley Barnes Sen. ...' in Deed Book A, page 103, 19 September 1771, Chatham County, NC. 1772 Militia Roll records for Chatham County, NC lists Brinsley Jr. in among his brothers, namely John, James, Thomas and Jehu. Fayette County, Kentucky, 25 July 1811. Quit Claim Deeds (page 306) Brinsley Barnes, Sr, and wife Lydia grant to Moses Barnes 52.5 acres in Estill Kentucky. Value: $388.89. Also, to Thomas Barnes, (same date) (page304), 106.5 acres in Estel County. Value: $775.27. Letter dated 24 Jul 1982 in the Barnes file in the Estill County Historical Society at Irvine. Will Book A, Estill County, Kentucky Page 234. We, the undersigned, in obedience to an order of the Estill County Court to us directed, appointing us Commissioners to Settle with Moses Barnes, Admr., of Brinsley Barnes, dec'd., met at the clerk's office of said county in Irvine, on Wednesday the 17th Novmber 1824, and, after examining the Accts. and Vouchers to us produced, have examined and settled said Accountas follows, to-wit: To Cash received by Moses Barnes as Admr., aforesaid, as per Acct. herewith filed. $355.34 1/2. Cash paid by Moses Barnes as Admr., aforesaid, as per vouchers herewith filed 447.04. Cash paid Aaron Barnes, one of the legatees, as per receipt 12.25. Do James Barnes, as per recept 11.00. Do John Barnes, as per receipt 11.50. Total $481.79. Leaving a balance due said Administrator, per accounts and vouchers to us produced $126.44 12. Given under our hands this 17th Nov. 1824. Com Fee $3.00. Robert. Clark, Henry Stevens, Benj Straughan Coms. Commissioners attendance to Settle accounts, $1.00 each is $3.00. Estill County, SS: Dec Court 1824. The foregoing Settlement with the Administrator of Brinsley Batnes, Dec'd., was this day produced into Court, Examined, approved of, and ordered to be recorded. A. W. Auinn (LS) Ellen Rogers, Star Route, Irvine, Ky. 40336, wrote to me that the first filing box of Circuit Court Records dates back to 1837, and that earlier records were destroyed, so we will never know what those $447.04 in vouchers might have revealed. Checked loose court papers 1812-1825. Cow Creek Baptist Church http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ky/estill/church/cow.txt ----------------------------------------------------------------- Contributed to the Estill Co., KY Archives by: Jen Bawden Published by the ECHGS and used here with their permission Date: 05/16/1999 ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Cow Creek Baptist Church is the second oldest active protestant church in Estill County. It was organized July 1848 with nine charter members: Thomas McDowell, John Barnes, Jefre Tipton, James Barnes, William T. Barnes, Frances Tipton, Margaret Barnes, Martha Tipton, and Zarilda Barnes. By October, the same year Jane McDowell, William H. Robinson, Brinsley Barnes, John Tipton, and Sally Tipton were added to the church. The first business meeting was held in October 1846. Henry C. Porter acted as moderator and R.S. Tipton was elected church clerk. The church joined the Boones Creek Baptist Association at Salem Baptist Church at Spout Springs (Estill County) in 1847. Salem Baptist Church is the oldest active protestant church in Estill County according to the minutes of the Boone's Creek Baptist Association. It was constituted in 1792 and united with the Association in 1846. The Association met at the Cow Creek Baptist Church in 1848. No church minutes were recorded during the Civil War. Cow Creek Baptist Church is located about 2 miles east of Ravenna on Highway 52. From Mick Barnes Book, "Immigrant Brinsley Barnes" Thu, Feb 26, 1998 Husband: Brinsley Barnes II Born 1747; Place Chester County?, PA Died 5 Apr 1816; Place: ?Estill County, Ky Father Brinsley Barnes; Mother: Elizabeth Lindley Other Wifes: Isabella Unknown & Lydia Unknown Wife: Sarah Howard Died: ?Fayette County, Kentucky Child: Thomas Barnes Born 1765/1775; Place NC? Died: 1822; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Spouse: Lucy Ann Wisdon? Child: Moses Barnes Born 1770/1774; Place: NC? Marr: Abt 1796; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Died: Abt 1847; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Spouse: Fanny Clubb Child: Aaron Barnes Born 1775/1780; Place NC? Child: Brinsley Barnes III Born: 4 Jan 1784; Place: North Carolina Mar: 7 Feb 1804; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Died: 24 Jul 1858; Place: Rush County, Indiana Child: Rachel Barnes Born 1784/1794; Place: NC? Marr: 14 Jun 1810; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Child: Edward Barnes Born 1788 Marr: 28 Jun 1811; Place: Fayette County, Kentucky Spouse: Polly Shipley Child: John Barnes Born 1788 Brinsley II (b 1747) and Sarah HOWARD Barnes - Time Line 1747??? Brinsley II born in Ireland 175? Moved with his parents Brinsley & Elizabeth and family to then Orange County NC 176? Married Sarah Howard 10 Sep 1771 Immigrant Brinsley “conveyed” part of his 640 acres in Chatham County NC to son Brinsley II per Chatham County Deed Book D, page 196 19 Sep 1771 Immigrant Brinsley sold 147 acrea of his 640 acres land grant to his son (word son is recorded The Deed) Brinsley II, Chatham County Deed Book A, pages 103, 104 & 105 1765/1775 Son Thomas born in NC; use of (….) means assumed information 1770/1774 Son Moses born in NC 1775/1780 Son Aaron born in NC 1787 Brinsley II sold 248 acres to Andrew Culberson, Chatham County NC Deed Bood D, pages 196 & 197 1787 Brinsley II sold 390 acres to Andrew Culberson, Chatham County NC Deed Bood D, pages 205 & 206 4 Jan 1784 Son Brinsley III born in NC 1788 Son Edward born in NC 1788/1790 Son John born in NC 1784/189 Aaron, Brinsley III, Moses, all believed to be sons of Brinsley II head for Kentucky. 1784/1794 Daughter Rachel born in NC 1800 Sons Moses, Aaron, Brinsley III listed in Census Records for Fayette County Kentucky 179?/1801 Brinsley II and son Thomas and families head for Kentucky 1801 & 1802 Brinsley II bought 400 acres of land in Fayette County, Kentucky from Jesse & Elizabeth Copher, Deed Book B, pages 116 to 118, Deed Book D, pages 328 to 330 20 Nov 1802 Brinsley II sold land to (son) Moses Barnes; Fayette County, Kentucky, Deed Book A, pages 123 and 124 7 Feb 1804 Son Brinsley III maries Mary Smith in Fayette, Kentucky 1810 Listed in Census Record for Fayette County, Kentucky next to son Brinsley III and son Moses. Son Aaron closely 1810 Estill County Kentucky formed from part of Fayette County Kentucky. 1810 Listed in Census Record for Estill County along with son Thomas 14 June 1810 Daughter Rachel (daughter confirmed by marriage bond) marries William Ball in Fayette County, Kentucky; William and Rachel listed in Census Record Fayette County, Kentucky, 1810, page 508 25 July 1811 Brinsley II sold land to (son) Moses Barnes; Fayette County Deed Book F, pages 304, 305 & 306 Between 1790 and 1800, Brinsley II’s (sons) Aaron, Brinsley III, and Moses moved from North Carolina to Kentucky and were listed in the census for Fayette County for the year of 1800. In 1802, Brinsley II and his (second) wife Isabella were listed on a land deed to (son) Moses as all being residents of Fayette County. Around 1810, Estill County was formed from a portion of Fayette County. In 1810, Brinsley II and (son) Thomas were listed in the census for Estill County. Brinsley II was also listed sequentially next to Brinsley III and Moses along with Aaron in the 1810 census for Fayette County. In 1811, Brinsley II and his (third) wife Lydia were listed on land deeds to (sons) Moses and Thomas with Brinsley II & Lydia and Thomas as being residents of Estill County and Moses as a resident of Fayette County. One entry on page 4 of Ruth Amy Barnes’s book was provided by Mrs. Dorothy B. Lapp of the Chester County PA Historical Society, and reads in part as follows: “……Brinsley, Jr. was born in Ireland in 1747, (d. 4-5-1816 Private, M. Sarah Howard) according to “Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia (186201750)” by Albert Cook Myers, 1902.” The Brinsley Jr. listed in the above quote would be the Brinsley Barnes II of this family history. Mrs. Lapp is quite old and was incapacitated when Barb and I visited Chester County in the Fall of 1997 so we could not discuss any of her finding with her. I have not found the 1902 version of the book she references so I have not confirmed any of the information that she provided in the above quote. I did not find any information regarding the family of Brinsley Barnes in later versions of the referenced book. Copies of land deeds indicate that Brinsley II obtained land from his father beginning in 1771 in Chatham County NC. Some of the land was part or all of the 640 acres his father, immigrant Brinsley, had obtained in a Land Grant from the Earl of Granville in 1754. During the period of time from 1771 to 1787, I could not find any documented activity of Brinsley II. Of course during this period of time there was passive and active resistance to the Colonial Government and the eventual Revolutionary War with England. Brinsley II’s father and at least two of his brothers, James and John, were very involved as remonstrators, ‘refugees for Almance’, as well as serving in the war as soldiers. So it seems reasonable to believe that Brinsley II could not be too far behind the rest of his family and perhaps Mrs. Lapp is correct in listing Brinsley II as a Private but, again, I have not confirmed Brinsley II’s military service in the Revolutionary War. Brinsley II owned quite a bit of land (formerly owned by his father immigrant Brinsley) that was centered around the mouth of Mud Lick Creek and Rocky River in Chatham County. I contacted the Chatham County Historical Association in NC for a detailed map that would show the exact location of the mouth of Mud Lick Creek on the Rocky River. The CCHA responded with a map that clearly located the mouth of Mud Lick Creek and the Rocky River and also with comments that they had no Barnes family history in their collection and that there have not been any inquiries in regards to the Barnes family since they (CCHA) have kept files (starting about 1992). Brinsley II must have kept busy as a farmer and then got the urge to move west when land opened up for settlement in Kentucky. In 1787, Brinsley II began to sell his land holdings in Chatham County NC. According to Hosier, for the 1790 census, “The Barnes in North Carolina that bear any resemblance to those later in Fayette County, Kentucky are ……..” Moses Barnes and Thomas Barnes, “from Halifax District, Northampton County., page 7, which is on the north side of the Roanoke River and southwest from Nansemond County, Virginia,” and Aaron Barnes, Warwick County, Virginia Lower precinct, page 79;” I have obtained copies of these records (whose actual pages are 75 and 79) and have included them in this document. It is stated in the book Handy Book for Genealogists, George B. Everton Sr., Sixth Edition, 1971, published by the Everton Publishers, Inc., page 82 & 83, that “Long before any white man had explored the entire Kentucky area, it was claimed by Virginia as part of her Augusta County. It was included in the Virginia County of 1584. ……The first permanent settlement in Kentucky was at Harrodsburg in 1774. ……. Previous to these explorations (Dr. Thomas Walker circa 1750 and Daniel Boone circa 1768) all of Kentucky had been made part of Fincastle County, Virginia. During Boone’s activities in the section, Kentucky was designated as Kentucky County, Virginia (December 1776. ……. In 1780, it was divided into three counties, Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln. In 1790 those three counties were subdivided into nine counties, Mason, Bourbon, Woodford, Fayette, Madison, Jefferson, Mercer, Nelson, and Lincoln. ……. On 1 June 1792, Kentucky became the fifteenth state admitted to the Union. It took courageous men and women to make their homes in a country as full of danger and excitement as existed in Kentucky in its early days. They came mostly, to begin with, from Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virgina. Originally they were German, English, Irish, and Scottish Descent.” The parantheses and the bold print on specific quoted words are my additions. The preceding words in bold print appear frequently in the history of the Barnes family. Based on the information that I have gathered for this history of the Barnes family, it is my belief that Brinsley III (Jr. re Hosier’s book) moved with his brothers Aaron and Moses and their respective families to Kentucky between 1790 and 1800 and that their brother Thomas (b 1765-1775 period) and their father Brinsley II and their families followed them. Perhaps Brinsley II sent three of his sons ahead to buy land in Kentucky. Regardless of the speculation, a Brinsley Barnes (believed to be Brinsley III) is listed as a taxpayer in the 1800 census for Fayette County Kentucky along with (brothers) Moses (b1770-1774 period) and Aaron (b 1775-1780 period). In 1801 and 1802, Brinsley II from Fayette County Kentucky bought 400 acres of land in Fayette County, Kentucky from Jesse Cophers of Clarke County, Kentucky., Brinsley II sold some of this acreage to his (sons) Moses and Thomas in 1802 and 1811. Remember, that typically within this family history, information contained in parentheses is an assumption or clarification provided by me and the (information - clarification) is not part of the legal document unless stated otherwise. In the 1810 census for Fayette County Kentucky, Aaron is listed on page 508, and Moses, Brinsley Sr., Brinsley Jr. (Brinsley II and Brinsley III, respectively) and families are all listed on page 513. Families of the same last name and listed sequentially on a census record were often from the same family or closely related or were neighbors. Only heads of households were listed and names of other family members were not listed and several families could be living together but listed in the census under one household. Also, on page 508 in the 1810 census for Fayette County, a Wm. Ball and a female of age between 16 and 26 are listed just below Aaron Barnes. The female listed with Wm. Ball is believed to be Rachel Barnes who married a William Ball on 14 June 1810 in Fayette County, Kentucky. William Ball was a son of Thomas Ball. Rachel was a daughter (as stated in the Consent document) of Brinsley Barnes II. No marriage return was found by me for Rachel Barnes and William Ball but I did obtain a copy of their Consent documents and their Marriage Bond. A copy of the Marriage Bond for William Ball and Rachel Barnes is included elsewhere in this section for Brinsley II. The consent for Rachel’s marriage was given by her father Brinsley II and presented in a Consent document. The Consent document was signed by some one other than Brinsley II because Brinsley II could not write and could only make his mark as evidenced by other legal documents including land deeds contained within this family history. Rachel’s Consent document was witnessed by Edward Barns, John Barns, and Brinsley (believed to be Brinsley III) Barns who are assumed by me to be sons of Brinsley II. Copies of the Consent documents are included elsewhere in this section for Brinsley II but the texts are presented here in typed for as follows: June the 12, 1810 Fayette County. This is to certify that I give my consent for William Ball and my daughter Rachel Barns for to be married. Brinsley Barns (seal) Test (witnessed) Edward Barns, John Barns, Brinsley Barns The witness listed as Brinsley Barns is presumably Brinsley Barnes III since legally Brinsley II could not witness his own document. A Consent document was also produced for William Ball and is reprinted as follows: June 12th 1810 Madison County. This is to certify that I have no objections Of my son William Ball and Rachel Barns for to be married. Thom Ball Test (witnessed) Thom Ball Junior, James Ball and Brinsley Barns The witness listed as Brinsley Barnes is presumably Brinsley Barnes III It is my belief that son Brinsley III was the bondsman for William Ball the groom and that he was one of the witnesses for the Consent documents based on the features of the signature of Brinsley Barns. For your satisfaction, compare the similarities of the Brinsley Barns signature on 10 the Marriage Bond for William & Rachel (Brinsley III’s sister), 2) the Brinsley Barns signature as a witness on the Consent document for William Ball with the signature of Brinsley Barns III as found on his Marriage Bond with Mary Smith (included in the section for Brinsley III of this family history). Legal documents produced in Kentucky before 1810 as cited in this family history listed Brinsley II as a resident of Fayette County while legal documents produced after 1810 list him as a resident of Estill County. It is my belief that the change in his county of residence was due to the geographical division of his land that occurred around 1810 when Estill County was formed from a portion of Fayette County. On 13 June 1802, Brinsley Barnes II (believed to be Brinsley Sr, re Hosier’s book) and (second) wife Isabella of Fayette County Kentucky sold fifty acres of their land to their (son) Moses of Fayette County Kentucky for seventy pounds (Deed Book A, pages 123 & 124 Fayette County). On 25 July 1811, Brinsley Barnes Senior (as written in the Deed) and (third) wife Lydia of Estill County Kentucky sold one hundred six and one-half acres of their land to their (son) Thomas of Estill County Kentucky for seven hundred seventy seven dollars and seventy seven cents. My understanding of the five sevens in the sale price is intended to bring attention to what I have found to be humor that Brinsley II imparted in 1811 that is appreciated yet today in 1998. On 25 July 1811, Brinsley Barnes Senior (as written in the Deed) and wife Lydia of Estill County Kentucky sold fifty two and one-half acres of their land to their (son) Moses of Fayette County Kentucky for three hundred eighty eight dollars and eighty nine cents (Deed Book F, pages 304-307, Fayette County). Copies of these land deeds are included in this family history in the section allocated for Brinsley Barnes II. The word son was not used in the Land Deeds and the use of (son) is my doing since it is my assumption that Moses and Thomas were sons of Brinsley II. It is my belief that Brinsley II’s birth date as recorded by Hosier as b 1765 is in error and that the b 1765 date per Hosier is probably the birth date of Brinsley II’s nephew who was also names Brinsley. The latter Brinsley was born in 1766 and was a son of John and Ruth Fortner Barns. This latter Brinsley (b 1766) married Sarah Barnes who was a daughter of Reuben Barnes and they lived in North Carolina for all of their married lives. John Barns was a son of immigrant Brinsley and of course a brother of Brinsley II. The entry cited in Ruth Amy Barnes’s book as provided by Mts. Dorothy B Lapp of the Chester County PA Historical Society, reads in part that Brinsley II died on 5 Apr 1816 and then someone other that Mrs. Lapp (in Ruth Amy’s book) added Kentucky as the place of his death. Information provided in Will Book A on pages 234 and 235 and also pages 256 & 257 of Estill County indicate that Brinsley II died in Estill County before 1824. Copies of the latter information from Will Book A, is found elsewhere in this section for Brinsley II. The exact date of his death was not recorded in the above cited information of Will Book A. It is believed by me that Brinsley II died sometime after 1812 but before 1820 since he was not listed in the 1820 Census for Estill or Fayette County or any other county of Kentucky Based on the findings to date, it is my belief that Brinsley Barnes II, who was born about 1747 in Ireland, who married Sarah Howard (and had at least two other wives, namely, Isabell ______, and then Lydia _____) and who died about 5 April 1816 is the Brinsley Barnes Sr. as listed in Hosier’s book. From census records and marriage bonds and land deeds and Will records, it is deduced that our Brinsley II died sometime between 1812 and 1820 in Estill County Kentucky. The children of our Brinsley Barnes II are believed to have included Thomas, Moses, Aaron, Brinsley III, Rachel (she is confirmed s a daughter or Brinsley II from her marriage Consent document), Edward and John. The confirmation from immigrant Brinsley to Brinsley II is based on the following: Immigrant Brinsley to Brinsley II: by use of the word son in the land deed document Chatham County NC Book A, pages 103, 104 & 105. Brinsley II in NC to Brinsley II in Kentucky; by the sameness of the mark ‘B’ used by Brinsley II on land deeds in NC and KY. As an example, see land deed for Chatham County NC Book D, pages 196 & 197 and land deed for Fayette County Kentucky Book F, pages 306 & 307. Also, family information presented on non-overlapping census records for 1800 in NC and 1810 in Kentucky. From Linda, Rootsweb.com: [email protected]: MADISON-FAYETTE COUNTIES, KENTUCKY: It is not known just how many of our Barnes family went to Kentucky, as there are Barnes who appear in and around the time and area where Brinsley II first appears, that we are unable to identify. We do know that there was the family of RICHARD BARNES, mainly in Madison County, that are not related to our line (unless it is a very distant relationship), but we have been able, in most instances, to identify and therefore eliminate, those that belong to that line. The first appearance in the Kentucky records of one of our Barnes line (that we can identify) is that of the marriage, on Nov 10 1790, of James Barnes and Isabelle Lucy Barnes in Madison County. There must have been others of the family there by this time as this young couple surely did not brave the perilous journey from North Carolina on their own--unless they eloped! I have mentioned elsewhere in these papers my theory of the possibility of Isabelle Lucy Barnes having been the daughter of Brinsley II and Lydia Isabelle Barnes. The first mention that we have found of Brinsley II Barnes in the Kentucky records is in1792 when he appears on the Fayette County tax list with 200 acres of land. Obviously he was there previous to this tax list long enough to have acquired the 200 acres. We have not found that record. It is obvious from reading the chronological record that the Barnes in Kentucky maintained close ties with the family back in NC, but the problem of sorting out exact relationships will not be solved until we are able to make a more thorough search and gain access to the complete original records of North Carolina. ***SOURCE: Mari Jackson Change Date:31 JUL 2001 From Scotland to Barnes Mountain - by Ralph Barnes The Barnes clan arrived early in the state and share responsibility for transforming the Kentucky wilderness into the thriving community now known as Estill County. Barnes' family members are numbered among the county’s heroes as well as its villains. The best known promontory in the county, Barnes Mountain, is named in honor of the early Barnes pioneers that settled in the area. The patriarch of the Estill County Barnes clan is believed to be Brinsley Barnes I, born in Ulster, Ireland around 1715 of Scottish parents. Although Brinsley did not actively serve in the military, he lent a horse to the Colonial Army. Because of that patriotic act he is listed among the pantheon of war heroes that have been deafied by the Daughters of The American Revolution. Brinsley’s elevation to the status of "Hero of the Revolution" (not to be confused with the Russian award of the same name that we do not honor) earned the family an elevated niche in the American hierarchy not normally accorded to the Scotch-Irish. As a result, Brinsley’s descendants are entitled to bask in his reflected glory by joining that hallowed organization. Nearly a century later Colonel Sidney Barnes earned accolades when his regiment of Union troops was the first to reach the summit of Lookout Mountain during that celebrated Civil War battle. The fact that the Rebels had vacated the mountain top the previous night does not detract from the heroic dimensions of that remarkable feat. Most families are thrilled if they can count among their members only one distinguished personality. Even two legendary figures are simply not enough for a family with hereditary rights to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Those virile Barnes genes produced yet another family swashbuckler who is better known and more highly regarded for his exploits than old Colonel Sidney and perhaps even Brinsley’s horse. The same Barnes blood that surged through the veins of those noble warriors also drove the heart of Edward "Ned" Hawkins who murdered seven men and sullied the reputation of a host of innocent young maidens before he was hanged in 1857. Ned was a handsome devil according to his contemporaries who could, if need be, talk his way out of Hell (a skill that surely was put to a stern test upon his demise). In Edward’s short but brilliant career, he became adept at counterfeiting, smuggling, larceny, polygamy, robbery, horse-stealing, pick-pocket-ing, card-cheating, forgery, storehouse-breaking, impersonating others for gain, murder and many other career skills too numerous to mention. Had Edward Hawkins life not been cut short by his untimely death, he undoubtedly would have entered politics and brought great honor to the family. The one defining characteristic that sets the Barnes clan apart is euphemistically referred to as the "Barnes Temper." This peculiarly Barnes family trait, believed to have been inherited through Viking blood, has caused the demise of more than a few family members. The tendency for male members of the clan to "die with their boots on" continues into the modern era. Since the vast majority of the Barneses are "Yellow Dog" Democrats, the Republicans have been the target of choice of much of the Barnes rage. Fifty or sixty years ago the Republicans were nearly hunted to extinction. However, due to a sound conservation policy and admirable Barnes restraint the Republican numbers have increased dramatically in recent years as is evidenced by their recent takeover of Congress. Most of the early Barnes settlers in Kentucky have a common ancestor and it must be assumed that all people with the Barnes surname are afflicted with the "Barnes Temper." Unfortunately, carriers of the flawed temper gene have intermarried with many other families. The prudent thing would be for all people with a link to Estill County to check their family trees to see if they have been tainted with Barnes blood. Those with even an infinitesimal amount are subject to uncontrollable fits of rage and should avoid political debates, sports contests, lovers' quarrels and other emotional events. The Barnes strain of the temper virus is easily recognized. A Barnes in fit will froth at the mouth while the face flashes brilliant shades of red and an incoherent torrent of obscenities issues from the mouth. The subject may jump up and down and make threatening gestures with anything at hand while blaspheming everything and everybody within sight or hearing. The fits normally do not last more than ten minutes or so except when the subject of the rage is a Republican. Republican caused fits may last for days and are much more intense than the average run of the mill fit. There are people who swear that a Barnes in a Republican rage can produce tornadoes, earthquakes and other storms of mass destruction. Self-explosion during tantrums is second only to lead poisoning as the leading cause of death among Barnes males. The force of a Barnes’ rage explosion is so potent that very little is left of the subject except a bit of bone or a hank of hair. That is why so many Barnes women weep inconsolably when they hear the song "I Fall To Pieces." Since there was a multitude of Brinsleys in the Barnes family, a great deal of confusion remains as to the exact lineage of each. Barnes' descendants throughout the country are trying to sort through the early Barnes genealogy and hopefully one day there will be a more accurate record of who sired whom. The Barnes clan probably descended from the Viking raiders that came to England in the eighth century to plunder the countryside. Many remained and settled in the area near the Irish Sea known as the Scottish lowlands. As Brinsley's Viking heritage burdened his descendants with a violent temper his Scottish ancestry provided them with an economic advantage. It was in Scotland that the Barnes clan learned to make the good whiskey that became the vocation of choice for so many of their Estill County descendants. Except for the occasional intemperate outburst caused by their hot Viking blood most settled down, accepted Christianity and eventually became English citizens. Not too long after Brinsley’s Norse ancestors converted to Christianity, an affair of the heart in the royal court altered the history of England. In fact, the Barnes family is in Estill county today as a result of a love triangle that occurred in 1527. Henry VIII lost his heart to Ann Boylen (she later lost her head to Henry) and asked the Pope to grant him a divorce from the Queen so that he could marry her. The Pope refused and that made Henry mad. So the King decreed that henceforth the English would worship as Protestants rather than Catholics. All of this must have been very confusing to our forefathers. The Vikings were persuaded to stop worshipping Thor and convert to Catholicism as the only sure path to Heaven. Now the good citizens were told they couldn’t be Catholics anymore because the King had taken a fancy to one of his court maidens. One can imagine the befuddlement of the peasants as they tried to make the connection between Henry’s aroused hormones and their need to embrace Protestantism. Although the Barnes family is not noted for being quick on the uptake, some of our ancestors must surely have wondered if giving up Paganism had been such a good idea. Most of the English, including the Barnes clan, acquiesced and Anglicanism became the official religion in England. However, the Irish were not overly concerned about the state of Henry's hormones and remained loyal to the Catholic Church. The English, of course, were outraged at the Irish for not supporting old Henry. Tensions developed that eventually resulted in open conflict. In time England managed to conquer the Irish but many of the Clans continued to resist English rule. The King and Parliament felt that Ireland could be best pacified by sending over settlers from Scotland to keep the Irish in check. Since the majority of the English had converted to Protestantism the government also felt a divine obligation to provide a Protestant presence in heavily Catholic Ireland. Brinsleys' ancestors and their Scottish neighbors were encouraged to immigrate to Ireland in the early part of the seventeenth century and consequently became known as the Scotch-Irish. As often happens with divinely inspired political decisions, the move proved to be a disaster resulting in a bitter struggle between the Catholics and the Protestants that is yet to be resolved. To entice the Scots to immigrate to Ireland one hundred years leases on farmland at very nominal rents were offered as inducements. When the leases expired during the first half of the eighteenth century, the landed aris-tocracy immediately raised the rents. The increased rents were much resented by the tenants. After a century of cheap rents, the descendants of the original settlers had grown accustomed to the low rates and being true to their Scottish heritage refused to pay. Fortunately for Brinsley and his fellow Scotch-Irish compatriots there was plenty of cheap land available in the New World. So, they told their landlords where to stick their leases, boarded a ship and headed to America. Brinsley originally settled in Kennett Township, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he married Elizabeth Lindley. They were living in Orange County, NC near Durham by 1768 when Brinsley was one of the signers of a petition to the English Governor and the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg requesting lower fees for recording property deeds. In addition to being renowned for their temper the Barnes are noted for their predilection to parsimony as well. The family later moved to Taylorsville in Wilkes County North Carolina near the Kentucky-Tennessee border where Brinsley died in 1795. Among the children born to Brinsley and his wife Elizabeth, while they were in Pennsylvania, was a son named for his father. When the junior Brinsley grew up, he met and married a girl named Isabella and they eventually added another dozen or so family members to the rapidly growing clan. Around 1780, while the colonists were still struggling to free themselves from British taxes. Edward Barnes, patriarch of nearly all Estill Countians with the Barnes surname, became the sixth member of Brinsley Barnes Junior's brood. Near the turn of the century Brinsley Barnes Jr.and Isabella moved their family, including Edward, to Fayette County Kentucky. They probably traveled the Wilderness Road; a series of buffalo traces and Indian trails that stretched from the western reaches of North Carolina through the Cumberland Gap to the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. Both courage and desperation were required of the pioneers that made the trek to Kentucky. The trail was difficult with many mountains and streams to cross. Those that survived the rigors of the trip faced a lonely and difficult life while trying to establish a homestead in the wilderness. Because of the distance from civilization, the settlers had few of life's necessities and lived under primitive conditions that moderns can never fully appreciate. Food was scarce and the pioneers hunted and fished to sustain their families until land was cleared and crops were planted. Some wags have insinuated that the Barnes men got addicted to hunting and fishing at that time and came to prefer it over work. That probably explains why the family has produced more hunters and fishers than captains of industry. Life was difficult but the clan survived and eventually the Barnes family was established in Kentucky. On June 28, 1811 Edward married Polly Shiply, daughter of Richard Shipley, and moved to Estill County where some of his relatives were already living. Thus the Edwardian branch of the Barnes clan became one of the principal families in Estill County. Only two months earlier Susannah Clubb of Fayette County had cited Edward into court on the first known bastardy charge recorded against a member of the family. However he was not the last Barnes to dally and several of his descendants have been similarly charged. His guilt or innocence is not recorded but Polly Shiply decided to marry him anyway. Edward sired at least eight children with Polly and after her death married Catherine Crouch in 1833 and had two daughters by her. Edward died in 1837 leaving a wife and two small daughters. At least one of Edward’s children was still living in 1920. Nearly all Estill Countians with the Barnes surname are descended from Edward. Today, the descendants of the original Barnes settlers include hundreds of known members scattered throughout the country. The number would be much greater if unacknowledged Barnes’ progeny could be counted. |
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