Descendants of George Barnett and his wife Jane [Burke] New Brunswick, Canada - Notes pafn01 - Generated by Personal Ancestral File

Descendants of George BARNETT

Notes


1. George BARNETT-5495

Biography - George Barnett, the patriarch of our Barnett line in New Brunswick, is still rather an elusive figure. He arrived in New Brunswick, presumably from Londonderry, Ireland, in 1825, with a wife and seven or eight children.
   Some family members believed that he was "Sir George". I have found no records to indicate that that is the truth. The earliest record I found for George is his land petitioned, dated 2 Sept 1826. On later census records he is listed as being unable to read or write. This seems to indicate that he was an Irish farmer, rather than from gentry, as most noble families edcuated their children to some degree.
   His land petition gives further light upon his life. It states he was born in Londonderry, Ireland. He had been in New Brunswick for one and one quarter years, and was aged "nearly fifty years". He was married and had eight children in 1826.
   Family folklore states that a child was born in the late fall or winter of the year before he moved onto his land grant - ca. 1825/6, while squatting on a neighbours property for the winter.
   Another point of interest on his petition, is the fact that he had twice before tried to obtain a grant of land. The first time being on 1 July 1825, the second date was not recorded. Each time, however, he had found himself crowding upon land granted to others (in Olinville), and he decided to move further from these grants. The land he petitioned for in 1826, and was granted, was Lot #6, of a new survey, in what later became known as West Jerusalem. (This has now been expropriated by the Department of National Defence, and is part of Base Gagetown's training area, and no longer shows up on Crown grant maps.) The grant was registered on the 26th. of September 1828, No. 2340. The other five grantees were: Samuel Linskell (Lot #1); Richard Polly (Lot #2); Alexr. Mekin (Lot #3); Joseph Hoyt (Lot #4); and John Gallagher (Lot #5). Lot #4 was for 300 acres, all the rest were for 200 acres.
   In view of his age having been recorded as nearly 50, on his land petition, we might assume that he was born about 1776 or 1777. Yet if we compare ages recorded on the 1861 and 1871 census records, plus his age recorded in his burial record, in 1872, we find a wide discrepency. The table below illustrates these facts.
 
age nearly 50 1826 1861 age 77 1871 age 85 1871/2 age 86
ca. 1776/7 ca. 1784 ca. 1786 ca. 1785/6

   Averaging the three closest approximate birth dates, we find that in later life he probably used 1785 as his year of birth, but he may well have been 8 or 10 years older than that.
   His death took place around New Years. He was buried on 3 Jan 1872, aged recorded as 86 years. Since his age was recorded as 85 in the spring of early summer of the year before his death, it seems logical to believe his birthday was in the last half of the year. His burial is recorded in the Anglican Church Records held at Central Greenwich, Kings County. These same records recorded the baptisms of many of the children of his son William, who lived on the original homestead grant, where George spent most of his life while in New Brunswick. There is however, no indication as to where George and Jane are buried. Family tradition says that they were living with their daughter, Elizabeth Jane, in Oak Point, Kings County, and were buried in the cemetery there.
No will has been found for George. It seems as though he disposed of all his property before his death. There are four land transactions on file for George before 1866. In 1839 he reserves 5 acres of land for his son, John, who is under age. This was deeded to William to be held in trust for John. In 1842, William bought the grant property from his father, for the sum of 60 pounds. In 1849, George sold part of the land granted to Samuel Linskell, to his son John, for the sum of 40 pounds, and in 1860, he sold the "rear part of lot 51" to a George Fersen, of Saint John. Rachael, his daughter is named on the last sale, and his wife, Jane, is named on all the transactions.
From this list, we see George selling two portions of land that were never recorded as having been obtained by him. It is probable that he held the deeds, but like many of his day, never bothered to record them at the Registry Office. The portion reserved for John was said to be bounded by land owned by James Barnett and Samuel Linskell.
   There is no official record of James owning any land, so here again, we find a case where someone failed to register his property. This land was turned over to John, by William, in 1849, and sold back to William in 1850 for the sum of 40 pounds.
   There are several other transactions within the family during these years. They sold land to Alexander Machum (the Mekim of grant registration) and John Worden.
George and Jane were listed as having eight children in 1826, and a son (John) born 1835. There is ample room between these two dates for several more births. This would give a possibility of eleven or more children. I have found six individuals that are proven children, and have found 5 more that fit nicely into the over all picture of the family. Two that I have not fitted into the family are Amos and Joseph, who were school teachers in the area and are probably sons, or grandsons of George, Sr. (The absence of any other Barnett family in the area for many miles, seems to up hold their inclusion. They are, however, in question until further proof is found.)


Jane BURKE-5743

Biography - Less information can be found in official records about George's wife, Jane. To date her maiden name has not been found, except in a secondary source. Mrs. Elder, in her book on New Jerusalem, gives her name as Burke. When asked where this came from, she replied from family members, so must be considered fokelore.
   Her given name, Jane, was affixed to several land transactions made by her husband, George, between 1839 and 1860, but of course there are no details in these records, other than she was his wife.
She is listed as being aged 77 years on the 1861 census, and three years later, at her burial, on 16 Sep 1864, she is recorded as being aged 83 years. (A gain of 6 years in her age, as opposed to 3 calendar years.) Rev. D.W. Pickett conducted the funeral service for both Jane and George.

3. James BARNETT-10095

Biography - James is mentioned in several records pretaining to the first family of Barnetts to settle in New Jerusalem. He is on the marriage record of Ann and Samuel Linskell, as a witness, and he is said to have land beside that which was being reserved for John in 1839. He is also a witness to Samuel Linskell's will in 1834. He may be the father of Amos and Joseph, or may be their brother.

7. Jane BARNETT-9804

Biography - The only records for Jane comes from her marriage and death records. She may not be a child of this family.

8. George BARNETT-5912

Biography - George cannot be found on any records at this time, other than in Mrs. Elder's book. I have been told by family members, that he was killed from a kick in the head during a fight, but can find no record of this. I have also found a George Burnett (sometimes recorded as Barnett) who lived in the Sussex area. These two areas should be researched, as well as other possibilities, before we can determine what became of George.

9. Amos BARNETT-15431

Amos is mentioned, in Mrs. Elder's book, as being a school teacher in New Jerusalem. Although there is no indication of what time period he taught in. In her list his name precedes that of James, a grandson of George and Jane.

10. Joseph BARNETT-15432

Biography - Joseph is mentioned in the 1865-66 issue of Hutchinson's New Brunswick Directory, as a farmer in Clones, Queens County, NB.

12. Rachael BARNETT-6471

Biography - Rachael was born in NB, and seems to have altered her age on each of the census records listed above. She remained unmarried and lived with her parents until their deaths. It is thought that she died in the early 1900's, as Fred Barnett (b. 1900) can remember her as living in a small house past the old Barnett homestead, on the Harry Lyon Road, towards Charlie Hamiliton's place. It was on the right side of the road if you approached from the Barnett homestead. I can find no further record for her, except in census records, on on a few deeds with her father. It is probable that she is the child born while the family awaited their move onto their own land grant.