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Note: N63 Note 1: The following text is of a history found in a journal of family reunions and dated 1906. It is written by Eric Smith Crossett Jr. Children and grandchildren of the principals were then alive and present when this was read to them. It is different in some respects from the more formal History of Chenango Co. Original spelling and punctuation is preserved. "In 1746 (ed. 1743) Simon Barnett was born of French parents on the island of Martinique. When a lad of twelve years he was one of a party of French Refugees who escaped on a French Privateer, (of which his uncle was captain)* from the island, and after being some days out from land they were overtaken and captured by a British man of war and finally landed in Philadelphia. Young Barnett escaped from his captors, and being a lad of much spirit and pluck, and being desirous of making something of himself, bound himself out (as was the custom in those days) to learn the trade of ship-carpenter. In this capacity he showed marked ability, and soon saved up, (not a hundred million like J. D. Rockefeller) but what was considered in those days, a nice little fortune. About 1790 (ed. 1775) he was married to Margaret Sidell of Philadelphia, a German girl who had been in this country but a few years, and later he moved to the town of Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, where on November 23rd, 1792, Charles Felix Barnett was born. Soon after this important event, the family removed to the town of Greene, New York, where they were soon joined by a party of French from Philadelphia, among whom was one Charles Felix Bulonge, after whom Charles Felix Barnett was named. When he arrived at the school age, there being no High School in Greene or Normal in Cortland or Oneonta, his Father went with him to New York City where he worked again at the ship-carpenter trade and sent Charles Felix to school. After he received his education they returned again to Greene. These pioneer settlers were subjected to great hardships and privations. Roads were little more than Indian trails along the streams. The canoe was the principal mode of conveyance. Their corn was pounded and converted into samp by means of a mortar made in a stump with a pestle suspended by a sweep, or was taken to Tioga Point, a distance of sixty miles. These journies occupied several days. A little later a grist mill was started in "Chenang Pint" now Binghamton. At the age of sixteen years, Charles Felix Barnett was married to Clarissa Whitmore of Greene whose Father, Nathan Whitmore lived to the remarkable age of 107 years and ten days. He was born in Vermont in 1753 and died in Tioga County, New York (ed. Pennsylvania) in 1860. In 1825 Charles Felix Barnett was licensed to preach the gospel and there were very few of the older settlers in Broome and Chenango Counties who did not know this old Methodist minister. He had eleven children, three sons and eight daughters who grew up to be men and women, and when he died in 1885, ninety two children, grand children and great-grand children attended his funeral. His wife Clarissa Whitmore Barnett was born in 1790 and died in 1862, aged 72 years." * Note: Maritime records of the time show a C. Barnet as Captain of the sloop Dolphin operating from Philadelphia.
Note 2: In 1832 A hearing was held in Greene, N.Y. regarding Simon's application for a pension from his Revolutionary War service. The text of this hearing is presented below. Simon was 89 at the time but very lucid and clear in his answers. He signed the transcript with his mark, indicating either that he was illiterate or that his advanced age and infirmity at the time may have made writing impossible. It is hard to believe that a ship's carpenter could not write and use numbers. The following is copied from a photostat of the 32 months war record, in the American Revolution, of Simon Barnett, Private, a ship carpenter in the U. S. Navy (a volunteer or enlisted man)(ed. he was actually in the Pennsylvania Navy) in his application for a pension dated December 25, 1832. "Employed by John Whorton and Joshua Humphrey to build a Row Galley which mounted one 18 pounder which was armed, manned, and stationed in the service as a guard to the City of Philadelphia, and in this service he was engaged one month. That he also helped build a second Galley of the same description built by Simon Shulick. This was also stationed as a guard to the City, and in which service he was engaged one month. He also assisted in building another in the yard of Shulick that was intended to be put to sea or stationed off the Hook. In this service he was engaged six weeks. He also assisted in building the "bataux de fried" (ed. cheveaux de fries) One or two of them he built in Philadelphia, and the others on the Jersey Shore, five miles below the city. A part were sunk at Fort Miflin and others at Hog Island. At that he worked at least six months."
"He resided at Philadelphia until after the British evacuated the city and he was then employed to build a boat on the Suatara Creek to be united with the boats built on the Otsego Lake and which came down with Sullivan at the time of his expedition against the Indians. The boats were taken up the river to Wyoming and from thence up the Chemung River. That in this service he was engaged six months under Captain Robbins and Colonel Marsh."
"After this he enlisted on board the brig "Fair American" under Captain Stephen Decatur for a three months cruise. He enlisted at Philadelphia, cruised off Charleston, and had an engagement off New York and took the brig "Arbuthnot", in which engagement he was wounded in the thigh. That they took several other prizes, that they returned to Philadelphia and refitted."
After having served out his three months cruise he again entered on board the same brig and the same Captain for a second three months cruise, that during the cruise they had an engagement with another ship. They fought her from daylight to 12 o'clock and took her. This vessel mounted ten guns, and the "Fair American" sixteen. They also took a refugee schooner, ran her aground, and also ran aground themselves. They also took the ship "Lady Margaret", invoiced at 35,000 lbs. He served out the three months cruise and was discharged."
"He afterwards engaged on board Captain Carson's ship - 20 guns - called the "Rising Sun" for a three months cruise and served out the time. They took seven prizes and brought some into port and some were re-taken. He also entered on board the ship "Washington" - Captain Josiah - and went on a nine months cruise to France in company with the ship "St. James", Captain Kane, each of them 20 guns. On their way they took a ship of 40 guns called the "Lion". They also took the ship "Luxford" (?) and a cutter called the "Will". While in France they heard the news of peace and brought the news home to America. That at this time he served a full nine months as he believes."
"He has no documentary evidence of his services and knows of no person who can testify to any part of his services, he hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension. His name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state."
"He lived in Philadelphia when called into the service, later in Butternuts, Otsego County, New york. then removed to Greene, Chenango County, New york where he has resided 36 years and now resides. Service: 32 monhts ,six weeks. Age 89 years".
Note 3: Information from History of Chenango Co. He was born of French parents in Fort de France, on the isle of Martinique, in the West Indies in 1744. When he was fourteen his uncle took him abourd a French privateer, of which he was in command, and started for this country, when it was overtaken and captured by a British man-of-war and taken to Philadelphia, then a British colony. Simon and a companion, with the aid of a plank, swan ashore one night under the cover of darkness, and escaped. There were, at that time, many French emigrees from the islands there, and he may have found refuge among them until able to procure work.
Certain it is, that sixteen years later when married "by license" to Margaret Sidell, age 22, by Reverend Slaughter of the Locust Street Church in Philadelphia, on May 30, 1775, both had served their apprenticeship with Joseph Marsh, a shipwright. Margaret's father, a German emigrant, was present at the marriage. Simon was 31. (What was not included in the application or which was later supressed is a note from the Locust St. Church by another clergyman: "Application was first made to me, but I sent them off as he was a mulatto and she a white woman, whose father was present.") Harbaugh's "Life of Michael Schlatter" says, "Hither, after the war as before it...came hosts of the young from all directions , and almost all distances, to have their marriage vows consummated, and receive the cheerful blessing of the venerable man. An aged schoolmaster who had Mr. Schlatter's record book of marriages in his possession for a long time after his death, informed us, that the number of marriages he consummated is almost beyond belief. A kind of universal consent made him the master of these interesting ceremonies for all the wide region upon which one looks out from this serene and lofty mount" (p. 340 Found on Microfische at Binghamton University).«s9 [Q:2]», «s273 [Q:2]»
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