This John Barlow was born about 1740-45 in Virginia. He married
in Virginia, about 1765 but the maiden name of is first wife
has not been determined. Her given name is Elizabeth as shown
by Albemarle County, Virginia Deed Book 7, page 274, when John
sold land to William Brockman in 1779, and the probable time
when John moved to Wilkes County North Carolina. This land
was on the branches of Pritty's Creek and was witnessed by
Henry Barlow Elizabeth Carlton and her son, Thomas, had sold
their Pritty's Creek property in 1778, and entered land in
Wilkes County on 9 June 1779 (Book F1, page 147) On 26 April
1790. John Barlow Sr. bought 120 acres of land on Beaver Creek
from Thomas Carlton and his wife, Mary.
John Barlow seems to have left Albemarle County
very shortly after the death of Thomas Barlow. Perhaps he received
some inheritance at that time. Since a copy of Thomas' will
cannot be secured, the names of his heirs cannot be determined.
Of the families most closely associated with
the Barlow's, the Carlton's and Livingston's originated in
King and Queen Counties and the Isbell's in the adjoining county
of King William. (James Isbell of King William married Frances
Livingston of King and Queen) This seems to point to King and
Queen as the older Thomas Barlow's place of origin.
The following associated, and sometimes related
families came from Albemarle County, Virginia, to Wilkes and/or
Burkes Counties North Carolina, in the period 1776-1780: Barlow,
Carlton, Land, Wallace, Isbell, Livingston, Sumpter, Randol,
Tucker, Hartley, Dowell, Coffey, Crossthwaite, Stepp, Eve,
Rippeto, McKenzie, Ballard, Eperson, Sudderth, Ramsey, Fields,
Golsby, Jones {Russell Jones], et al.
Both church and county government records
show John Barlow in Wilkes County, North Carolina, in 1779,
and thereafter, History of North Carolina Baptists, Volume
II, reports that in 1779 John Barlow was a messenger from Beaver
Creek (church) Wilkes County, Strawberry (Baptist) Association
of Virginia, 1786-1789. On August 28 - 30, 1790, John Barlow
was a delegate to the meeting of the Yadkin Baptist Association
along with Elder Patrick Mooney, John Durham, and William Landsdown.
Yadkin Baptist Church records show in September 1790, Brother
John Barlow as a transient "helper" to administer
baptism, and "the supper." In January 1791, George
McNeil (1720 - 1805) John Barlow, John Durham, Patrick Mooney,
and William Bradshaw were appointed a presbytery to ordain
James Coffey, elder, and Jonathan Boone, deacon at Yadkin Baptist
Church.
In Wilkes County, North Carolina, Land Records,
1778 - 1781 the following is found:
18 March 1779: John Barlow entered 150 acres
in Thomas Carlton's line. This was sold in 1898 to Thomas Knight.
09 June 1779: _______(First enterer erased
completely) Entered 100 acres both sides Kings Creek joining
above his former entry that joins Eph. Cox and James Ehiydon.
(Henry Isbell marked out, John Barlow, Jr. written) Later Jacob Crouch lived on this tract.
26 October 1779: John Wm. Crosswaite entered
150 acres branch Kings Creek dividing ridge Beaver Creek and
Kings Creek south from Thomas Carlton's line (John Q. Crosswaite
marked out, John Barlow written in)
These land grants were recorded in 1818.
Book 1, page 70, Wilkes County Deeds, there
is recorded a deed dated 26 April 1790
Thomas Carlton and wife, Mary to John Barlow,
Sr. 120 acres on Beaver's Creek on Ridge a part of the tract
where said Carlton now lives.
Witnesses: Robert Ayers and Elizabeth Carlton.
There is also a State Land Grant in Wilkes
County in 1797 for John Barlow, Sr. Wilkes County Court Minutes of January 1790
read:
"Ordered following attend next county
court as jurors.......John Barlow...."
In the printed 1790 Wilkes County census,
the Barlows are listed as Bartons although microfilm of the
original shows the name as Barlow. With only one name seperating
them from Thomas Carlton, the following is found:
Barlow, John Sr. 1 m over 16 2 m under 16
4 females Barlow, John Jr. 1 m over 16 2 females
The Wilkes County court minutes of November
1794 read:
Ordered following view road from river road
by Haglers to Barlow's meeting house (Kings Creek Baptist Church)
into Lewis Carlton's road, from thence to Ridge Road leads
from Wilkes to Burke Court House; Lewis Carlton, Benjamin Howard,
John Witrherspoon, John Hagler, Benjamin Grayson, Edmond Tilley,
John Grayson, John Roberts, James Padger, Annanias Allen, Philip
Davis, Sr., James Ferguson, Thomas Carlton, John Barlow, Sr.,
Joshua Story, Sr., Samuel Tucker, John Robbins, Sr.
Allan Poe makes the following statement:
Elder John Barlow officiated at the marriage
of my great great grandparents, David E. Horton and Sarah Dula,
on 25 November 1817. at the house of the bride's father, Capt.
William Dula. Elder Barlow was then an old man. In his last
years his household consisted of his second wife, Susanna (Benge)
Roswell, whom he married in 1808, and a "bound boy" William
Wright, born 1804, an ancestor of the late poet laureate James
Larkin Pearson. Besides his own children, he also reared his
elder grandaughter, Elizabeth Barlow Livingston, after her
father's second marriage.
Wilkes County Minutes of the Court of Pleas
and Quarter Sessions dated 01 August 1809, shows Wright, age
five years on the 6th of June, bound to John Barlow.
Although it cannot be definitely be stated
that Thomas Barlow who died in 1778 in Albemarle County, Virginia,
is the father of Reverend John Barlow, circumstantial evidence
points to the conclusion. A more thorough search of the Virginia
records may prove or disprove the statement.
1787 North Carolina census shows: 1 m over 21 3 males under 21 4 females, all ages
1800 census of Wilkes Co, page 29 shows:
John Barlow, Sr. 1 white male 15-26 1 white male 45 + 1 white female 15-26 1 white female
45 +
John was still living in the 1820 census,
he would have been about 75 years of age.
On 29 March 1845, Wilkes County, John Carlton,
son-in-law, made a deposition which states in part...."After
the Reverend Mr. Barlow left this county the papers and records
belonging to his church (Beaver Creek) came into my hands...."
Some researchers think he may have gone to
Kentucky. He evidently died shortly afterwards, but the place
of his death and his burial is unknown.
Other Wilkes Co court records found include
the
Will
of John Cook, dated 30 April 1782, shows John
Barlow to be one of the Executors, and with Thomas Carlton,
Thomas Land and Gershom Allen as witnesses. Some researchers
believe Elizabeth, wife of Reverend John may have been a Cook
based on this will.
