1: Ransom “Rance” Barrow and Thomas “Tommy” Lee Barrow

Most of you here today descend from Rance Barrow and I assume that you know much more about him and “Tommy” Lee than I do. If you do not, then get with Roby who has done a great deal of hard work in recording facts of this large family with some very good pictures.

2: John Turner and Martha Smith Barrow:

Rance was the only son of John Turner and Martha Smith Barrow. He had a sister, Elvira who was a year or so older than he. She later married a Phillips and moved to Alabama. John was the oldest son of the Rev. James and Lucy Barrow and was born, we believe in 1832, probably in the Smithfield community of Carroll County. He was the fourth child of James and Lucy having three older sisters and one younger sister and two younger brothers one of who were my great grandfather and the youngest child, James R. Barrow, Jr.

John was a farmer and married Martha Smith on 13 July 1854. Martha was the daughter of Gabriel Smith, Jr. and two of her brothers had married John’s older sisters, Gideon to Mildred and Charles to Sarah Jane. John and Martha lived on land drawn “By Orphans of Moses Barrow” who was a Revolutionary War soldier from North Carolina. This land was located in the 9^th District, Lot 93 in the Smithfield community. The orphans also drew a lot in the Jake community where Rance would live later on. John is listed in the 1860 census as owning one slave, probably a pass-down from his grandfather, Moses.

John enlisted in the 3^rd GA State Troops in 1861 along with brother-in-law Charles Smith. When the state troops were dissolved to become Confederate units, they joined Company B of the 56^th Georgia Infantry, both being elected sergeants. John’s Confederate service records show him in hospitals in Chattanooga, Ringgold and Dalton and then state that he died in February 1863 in “small” hospital in Atlanta. This evidently means a smallpox hospital. Usually these facilities were isolated or quarantined from other sick and wounded and the dead were quickly buried at or near the hospital. We believe that he contacted smallpox while in one of the hospitals but do not know if he was in the hospital due to wounds or disease. There is no record of his burial site that I know of.

Martha, left with the two small children, lived with her father and brother Charles and later with son Rance. She lived a long life never remarrying, drawing a Confederate pension up to at least 1920 and probably until her death in Dec. 1924 at age 89 years. She is buried alone in the Poplar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery where this group met last year. I have given Roby my tintype of John in his uniform and he has some good pictures of Martha and also Elvira.

3: Rev. James R. and Lucinda “Lucy” Bevins Barrow

John Turner’s farther, James Reeves “Jimmy” Barrow, was born on December 25 1801 in Washington County, GA. His father, Moses, died three days latter leaving wife Martha with 5 children, the oldest, Jacob, nine. James then lived with his mother, who remarried in only a few months, as was the custom in those days, until her death when he was 10. He then lived with his wealthy uncle, James Barrow, in Milledgeville until brother Jacob was old enough to become his legal guardian.

He married Lucinda Bivins in Baldwin County on Jan 2, 1825. He is listed as being a mechanic living in Talbot and Upson counties before moving to the Smithfield land probably around 1842. Early in mid life he became badly crippled with what in those days was called rheumatism, his hands were badly drawn and he had to walk with the aid of crutches. Since he could not do heavy farm labor, he moved to a lot in the town of Bowdon and became a full-time circuit riding, Hell Fire and Damnation, Missionary Baptist preacher. His rounds took him far into the newly opened areas in eastern Alabama, which only a very few years ago had been the home of the Creek Indians. In fact, I have one newspaper article giving his preaching schedule in Tuskeegee, AL, which is probably 150 miles or so from Bowdon. He had to be helped onto his horse that he rode on his circuit. The House in Bowdon is where the present Dr. Smith’s brick house stands. I can remember the old house and when it was torn down. I have a copy of a letter written by the Reverend’s first cousin, Chancellor David Barrow of the University System of Georgia, in which the Chancellor states that the old man could recite from memory entire books of the Bible.

We do not know who the parents of “Lucy” were. The old couple had at least 7 children, maybe more who might have died before moving to the Bowdon area. They were prominent in the founding of Eden Baptist Church, which was a mile or so south of Bowdon. Lucy died in Dec. 1873 after suffering mightily from burns received when her clothing caught fire while working around a washpot fire. The old Reverend lived another 11 years until July 30, 1884. Both rest in the Bowdon Baptist Church Cemetery.

We have some good pictures of Rev. James and Lucy.

4: Moses and Martha Smith Barrow

Moses was born in Edgecomb County NC about 1759. He like, his father and grandfather, were all fishermen and farmers with large land and slave holdings. He was the son of Thomas Barrow, JR and Elizabeth Atkinson. He, along with brothers Jacob and James, was a Revolutionary War soldier and I am a SAR and my daughters DAR on his proven record. We believe that Moses possibly was married before, possibly to a Mildred Powell, before marrying Martha Smith, grand daughter or daughter of the prominent Drew Smith, in 1790. Moses also had a sister, Sally, born after the death of her father, Thomas, Jr. and an older brother, Hosea, by Thomas’s first wife, Mary Killebrew. .

Moses moved to Washington County, GA in the very late 1700s to land along Keg Creek. He owned considerable property and a considerable number of slaves. His brother, James, was a very wealthy landowner in nearby Baldwin County. Moses died on Dec. 28, 1801 and so far we have not been able to locate his grave as the area where he lived is now one big Kaolin mine.

Martha remarried in just a few months to Charles Thompson and had several additional children by him. She died in 1812 and is buried in an unmarked grave in the Thompson Family Cemetery near High Shoals, Ocoee County, GA.

5: Thomas Barrow, Jr and Elizabeth Atkinson Barrow

Moses Barrow’s father, Thomas Barrow Jr was born in Southampton County, VA in 1698 and married his second wife, Elizabeth Atkinson about 1735 while living in Isle of Wight County, VA on the south side of the Nottaway River. He never signed his name as Junior. In 1754 Thomas drew a grant of 215 acres from Lord Granville in Edgecomb County NC signing his name, which was requirement of the Lord. He subsequently owned land and fisheries in Halifax and Onslow Counties NC and died testate in 1761 on his large plantation located on the banks of New River in Onslow. Elizabeth died about a year later leaving the three small boys; Jacob, James and Moses and their baby sister, Sally. Their grandmother Atkinson and her son, Solomon, raised the orphans in nearby Hallifax County.

We have much well documented data on Thomas, Jr including his will and many land transactions. He left fisheries on the Roanoke River especially to son Jacob.

6: Thomas Barrow, Sr and Elizabeth Horton Barrow

Although Thomas Barrow, Sr never signed his name “Senior”, he did leave property in his will which he signed by “mark”, to Thomas, Jur. We have evidence that he was born sometimes between 1662 and 1667, as we know that he lived to an age of 95 to 100 years. He married Elizabeth Horton, daughter of Thomas Horton. He is listed as a tithable in the household of George Blow, Jr, husband of his mother, in 1693. Thomas, SR lived in Surry, Isle of Wight and Southampton Counties, VA and died testate in Southampton in 1762. His will named “my seven children, Simon, Thomas “Jur”, John, Elizabeth, Jane, Sarah and Fortune.” He outlived his son, Thomas by about a year.

We have well documentation on his will, numerous land transactions and proof that he was in the household of his stepfather, George Blow, JR. Some Barrow family historians have said that this Thomas was the emigrant to the colony but I am certain that this is not the case at all.

7: Thomas Barrow (1) and Elizabeth

Next in our line would be Thomas Barrow (1). It is fairly certain that this Thomas who we have labeled for our identification purposes, Thomas “1”, was born in England about 1640 and came to the Virginia colony before he was 15 years old. We know that in 1654 that Major Abraham Word received a grant of land for the importation of 8 persons including Mr. Thomas Barrow believed to be from Lancashire, England. The “Mr.” Indicates that Thomas was of considerable statue and certainly not an indentured servant. He was a carpenter and assisted in building the famous Bacon’s Castle in Virginia, which is open to the public today. An inventory of his estate listed in addition to Negroes, land and household items there were many carpenter tools and “ 3 thousand eight penny nales and 2 thousand 6 penny nales.

Thomas (1) died when he was about 45 years old leaving sons Thomas, SR and Simon and his wife Elizabeth who married George Blow, JR about 2 months after the death of Thomas (1). Elizabeth would have at least one child, George Blow, III by her second marriage.

8: John Barrow and Mary Blow

Most Barrow researchers are of the belief that Thomas (1) was our ancestor who was the immigrant to the Virginia Colony. Recent research by others and also me leads me to believe that his father, John Barrow, was here before Thomas came over and that Thomas and younger brother, John, came over to join their father. Time does not allow me to go into this assumption, which is just that, an assumption, but with more than a few facts backing my beliefs.

I believe that John Barrow was the father of Thomas (1) having arrived on these shores as early as 1635 only 16 years after the founding of the Virginia Colony on May 13, 1607. In 1635 there were only 183 white inhabitants in the entire colony and that he was probably of the “Third Supply.” If this be the case, we here today can trace our lineage in America back 365 years, eleven or maybe 12 generations.

I will be glad to answer any questions that I can later on in the day. Thank you for you attention and enjoy the great meal that is waiting. .

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