Jonathan Barrett (Planter) 1757-1840
Jonathan Barrett was my 5th Great Grandfather and the father of Polly Barrett who married Ezekiel Eades, my 4th Great Grandfather and the subject of this website. Grandfather Jonathan was a Planter , meaning he owned slaves. Jonathan was born about 1757 in Prince George County, Maryland. On 20 March, 1779 in Prince George County, Maryland he married one Margaret Gilpin, my 5th Great Grandmother. Margaret's parents have yet to be located by this researcher.
Children of Jonathan Barrett
Jonathan and Margaret Gilpin Barrett were the parents of seven daughters and five sons, 12 children in all and all were named in Jonathans will.
- Robert Barrett-Son
- Sarah Barrett-Daughter and husband Adam Beck
- Elizabeth Barrett-Daughter and husband James Wood
- Jane Barrett-Daughter and husband George Mulder
- Isaac Barrett-Son
- Peggy Barrett-Daughter and husband David Walk
- Milly Barrett-Daughter and husband William Coats
- Anderson Barrett-Son
- Richmond Barrett-Son
- Nancy Barrett-Daughter, Deceased her husband was John Wyatt
- Polly Barrett-Daughter, Deceased, wife of Ezekiel Eades Sr
- John H Barrett=Son
Jonathan`s 2nd Wife Sophia Beck
After the death of his beloved first wife and mother of his children, Margaret Gilpin, Grandfather Jonathan Barrett married for the second time at the age of 71 years old. His second wife was named Sophia Beck. Sophia appears in Grandfather Jonathans will and also on several pension records and related documents which I will share more of here soon.
Who were Jonathan Barrett's Parents?
The jury is still out on this one as far as this researcher is concerned. I have a theory but have yet to prove it. I am going to share both possible sets of parents here that I have been looking at, I am leaning towards the second set mentioned below.
Jonathan Barrett b, 1722 perhaps in Hanover County, Virginia
Many folks suspect our Jonathan to have been the son of this Jonathan Barrett. Apparently he came to Alexander County, North Carolina and settled in an area that would later be referred to as Barretts Mountain. Said Jonathan was married twice, first to Elizabeth Betsy Henderson and then what folks deem must have been a Native American Woman by the name of Jarmin Jarfly Hagler. There is no evidence that I have found that even supports a marriage to anyone named Hagler let alone a purported Native American woman named Jarmin Jarfly. I have chosen not to add her to my family tree, because I simply cannot find any proof she even existed. Given the fact that my Grandfather Jonathan was a Planter,so quite possibly his father was as well; therefore, I find a more plausible theory that perhaps this Jarmin was a slave woman as opposed to this Native American theory.
"Jonathan moved into North Carolina as an early pioneer in what was Wilkes County, but is now Alexander County. Bishop Spangenberg's Journal in 1752 mentions Jonathan as a pioneer who lived in Wittenberg Township. A mountain which is partly in Wittenberg and partly in Ellendale, North Carolina is named Barrett's Mountain. He opened up a road leading from a point on the mountain and along the crest of the bank of the North Canyon of the Catawba River to the Little River. He entered a large tract of land lying in Wittenberg, bounded by the Catawba River on the south, Middle Little River on the west and Mountain or Mill Creek on the north. Bishop Spangenberg reported about Jonathan Barrett who lived like an Indian with no neighbors within many miles. He lived on the east side of the Catawba River at the foot of a spur of a small mountain still known as Barrett's Mountain." (taken from the files of Thomas G Adams, another Barrett Family Researcher).
There is no mention of the above couple having had a son named Isaac as you will see below, Isaac was definitely a brother of our Jonathan. Although I will say I have not seen the will of this Jonathan Barrett, so it is quite possible he had a son named Isaac. Another person in the area that I have considered as a possible father for our Jonathan would be Robert Barrett, listed below. I have seen his will and he did indeed have sons named Isaac and Jonathan.
Robert Barrett 1723-1779 Prince George County, Maryland
It is my assumption that Jonathan's father may have been this Robert Barrett. Robert was born Abt. 1723 in Prince George County, Maryland. He married one Sarah Anderson. I have a copy of this Robert Barretts will and in it he names the following children:
Conclusion: I currently do not know which of these two men were the father of our Jonathan Barrett, as far as I am concerned the Jury is still out. The only reasons that Robert stands out to me is the fact that he was born and lived in Prince George County Maryland and the fact that he names two sons in his will among his other children as being named Jonathan and Isaac. We know that in our Jonathans Revolutionary War Pensions files he mentioned having a brother named Isaac and said Isaac gave a signed statement attesting to the fact that he knew he served in the war as he served with him.Also if we look at the names of the children belonging to our Jonathan Barrett he has named one son which he named Robert Barrett and one son named Anderson Barrett and a daughter named Sarah Barrett and another daughter named Elizabeth Barrett as well as a son named Isaac Barrett. Could be coincidences but the Robert (possible father in question) was named Robert and his wife (Possible Mother of our Jonathan) was named Sarah Anderson. Said Robert Sr had children with the names Isaac, Sarah, Elizabeth and Robert Anderson Barrett. What I'm getting at is our Jonathan named his children the same names that the children of this Robert Barrett were named. If any other Barrett descendant or researcher out there has any information to support one of these two men as being the father of our Jonathan I would love to hear from you. You may read Robert Barretts will below, I transcribed the original document for use on this website, click the button below.
Jonathan Barrett b, 1722 perhaps in Hanover County, Virginia
Many folks suspect our Jonathan to have been the son of this Jonathan Barrett. Apparently he came to Alexander County, North Carolina and settled in an area that would later be referred to as Barretts Mountain. Said Jonathan was married twice, first to Elizabeth Betsy Henderson and then what folks deem must have been a Native American Woman by the name of Jarmin Jarfly Hagler. There is no evidence that I have found that even supports a marriage to anyone named Hagler let alone a purported Native American woman named Jarmin Jarfly. I have chosen not to add her to my family tree, because I simply cannot find any proof she even existed. Given the fact that my Grandfather Jonathan was a Planter,so quite possibly his father was as well; therefore, I find a more plausible theory that perhaps this Jarmin was a slave woman as opposed to this Native American theory.
"Jonathan moved into North Carolina as an early pioneer in what was Wilkes County, but is now Alexander County. Bishop Spangenberg's Journal in 1752 mentions Jonathan as a pioneer who lived in Wittenberg Township. A mountain which is partly in Wittenberg and partly in Ellendale, North Carolina is named Barrett's Mountain. He opened up a road leading from a point on the mountain and along the crest of the bank of the North Canyon of the Catawba River to the Little River. He entered a large tract of land lying in Wittenberg, bounded by the Catawba River on the south, Middle Little River on the west and Mountain or Mill Creek on the north. Bishop Spangenberg reported about Jonathan Barrett who lived like an Indian with no neighbors within many miles. He lived on the east side of the Catawba River at the foot of a spur of a small mountain still known as Barrett's Mountain." (taken from the files of Thomas G Adams, another Barrett Family Researcher).
There is no mention of the above couple having had a son named Isaac as you will see below, Isaac was definitely a brother of our Jonathan. Although I will say I have not seen the will of this Jonathan Barrett, so it is quite possible he had a son named Isaac. Another person in the area that I have considered as a possible father for our Jonathan would be Robert Barrett, listed below. I have seen his will and he did indeed have sons named Isaac and Jonathan.
Robert Barrett 1723-1779 Prince George County, Maryland
It is my assumption that Jonathan's father may have been this Robert Barrett. Robert was born Abt. 1723 in Prince George County, Maryland. He married one Sarah Anderson. I have a copy of this Robert Barretts will and in it he names the following children:
- Robert Anderson Barrett b. abt. 1755
- Jonathan Barrett b. abt 1757
- Elizabeth Barrett b abt 1770
- Sarah Barrett b abt 1773
- Isaac Barrett b abt 1778
Conclusion: I currently do not know which of these two men were the father of our Jonathan Barrett, as far as I am concerned the Jury is still out. The only reasons that Robert stands out to me is the fact that he was born and lived in Prince George County Maryland and the fact that he names two sons in his will among his other children as being named Jonathan and Isaac. We know that in our Jonathans Revolutionary War Pensions files he mentioned having a brother named Isaac and said Isaac gave a signed statement attesting to the fact that he knew he served in the war as he served with him.Also if we look at the names of the children belonging to our Jonathan Barrett he has named one son which he named Robert Barrett and one son named Anderson Barrett and a daughter named Sarah Barrett and another daughter named Elizabeth Barrett as well as a son named Isaac Barrett. Could be coincidences but the Robert (possible father in question) was named Robert and his wife (Possible Mother of our Jonathan) was named Sarah Anderson. Said Robert Sr had children with the names Isaac, Sarah, Elizabeth and Robert Anderson Barrett. What I'm getting at is our Jonathan named his children the same names that the children of this Robert Barrett were named. If any other Barrett descendant or researcher out there has any information to support one of these two men as being the father of our Jonathan I would love to hear from you. You may read Robert Barretts will below, I transcribed the original document for use on this website, click the button below.
Slaves of Jonathan Barrett-Planter
Records of slaves are hard to track unless the family kept good records. I did find a few mentions of slaves belonging to Jonathan Barrett, listed within the papers that accompany his will.
" To my wife Sophia, I give and bequeath one hundred fifty acres of land taking one side so as to include the dwelling house and also one negro woman named Anarka , also one bed and its (illegible) furniture. The above property to remain hers as long as she lives and keeps my name or a widow and after her death or marriage of my wife Sophia the above property to be sold by my executors and equally divided between my children: John H Barrett, Isaac Barrett, Robert Barrett, Anderson Barrett, Richmond Barrett, Sarah Beck, Elizabeth Wood Milly Coats (Cope?) and Peggy Watts."
There was also a list of property belonging to Jonathan that was to be sold and there were the names of a few slaves listed within as well as the asking price of each.
Slaves on Census Records
1820 Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina- There were a total of five (5) slaves living in the household of Jonathan Barrett during this census year. 1 Male under 14, 1 Male 45 and over, 1 Female under 14, 1 female age 26-44 and 1 female age 45 and over.
1830- Davidson County, North Carolina- There were a total of four (4) slaves living in the household during this census year, one male under 10, one male 10-23, one female 10-23 and one female 55-99.
1840- Davidson County, North Carolina-There were eight (8) slaves living in the household during this census year. One male under 10 , one male 10-23, one male 24-35 , three females under 10, one female 10-23 and one female 55-99.
1840 was the year that Jonathan died and his slaves at time of death were mentioned within the will, I posted said names above. There was a total of nine (9) slaves mentioned at the time of Jonathan's death, so between the time of the 1840 Census and his Death he must have either purchased another slave or another one was born.
" To my wife Sophia, I give and bequeath one hundred fifty acres of land taking one side so as to include the dwelling house and also one negro woman named Anarka , also one bed and its (illegible) furniture. The above property to remain hers as long as she lives and keeps my name or a widow and after her death or marriage of my wife Sophia the above property to be sold by my executors and equally divided between my children: John H Barrett, Isaac Barrett, Robert Barrett, Anderson Barrett, Richmond Barrett, Sarah Beck, Elizabeth Wood Milly Coats (Cope?) and Peggy Watts."
There was also a list of property belonging to Jonathan that was to be sold and there were the names of a few slaves listed within as well as the asking price of each.
- One Negro Man Frank-$821.00
- One Negro Woman Hannah and Child Raney (the last two words were hard to read, may be something else) $643.00
- One Negro Boy George-$522.00
- One Negro Boy Jackson-$500.00
- One Negro Girl Susan-$438.00
- One Negro Girl Rebua(?) -$236.00
- One Negro Woman Cherry-$11.50
Slaves on Census Records
1820 Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina- There were a total of five (5) slaves living in the household of Jonathan Barrett during this census year. 1 Male under 14, 1 Male 45 and over, 1 Female under 14, 1 female age 26-44 and 1 female age 45 and over.
1830- Davidson County, North Carolina- There were a total of four (4) slaves living in the household during this census year, one male under 10, one male 10-23, one female 10-23 and one female 55-99.
1840- Davidson County, North Carolina-There were eight (8) slaves living in the household during this census year. One male under 10 , one male 10-23, one male 24-35 , three females under 10, one female 10-23 and one female 55-99.
1840 was the year that Jonathan died and his slaves at time of death were mentioned within the will, I posted said names above. There was a total of nine (9) slaves mentioned at the time of Jonathan's death, so between the time of the 1840 Census and his Death he must have either purchased another slave or another one was born.