General Notes

Notes for THOMAS BARNETT SR.:
Hamilton TWP, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania 1768 Tax lists
Barnett, Thomas, Sr. 2 horse, 4 cows, 8 sheep, 300 acres warranted, 50 acr
es clear.
Barnett, Thomas, Jr. Poor
DOCUMENT: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Will Book B, page 104: Will of T
homas Barnett of
"Hamilton", dated 30 October 1771 (probated 12 November 1771):
Son-in-law - Robert Donelson (Donaldson)
SON: HUGH Barnett
Son-in-law: William Guthry & his wife (not named)
Grandson, son of my SON William Barnett Dec'd (not named)
Son: Thomas
John Straghan (relationship not given)
(grandson) Hugh, son of Thomas Barnett Junr.
EXECUTORS: Thomas Beard & Thomas Barnett Junr.
WITNESSES: Jane Straghan, John Guthery.
COMMENTS: The Will abstract only gave names. No mention of the legacy. T
wo HUGH'S are identified in
this Will: one the son of Thomas Sr.; the other the son of Thomas Jr. He a
lso had a son William who was
deceased. William's son was not named, but he was a John. Thomas Sr. al
so had a son John, who died a few
years earlier and left a Will, as follows:
DOCUMENT: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Will Book a, page 161 - WI
LL of John Barnett of
"Hamilton": Dated 23 January 1767:
Wife: Meary
Brother William Barnett's child John Barnett
Brother Thomas
Brother Hugh Barnett's son John Barnett
Brother (in-law) Robert Donaldson
My Father
EXECUTORS: Father Thomas Barnett of Hamilton and Wife Meary.
WITNESSES: James Patterson, Isaac Patterson.
ANALYSIS: Without knowing the wording of Thomas Sr's Will, I can not ascer
tain the disposition of this
Hugh Barnett. Just because he is listed as a son does not mean he was pres
ent. Thomas may have stated that he had already given son Hugh property be
fore he left, etc. The manner and wording of the bequests is most importa
nt in regard to this case, because Hugh was already present in North Carol
ina by this date.
The will of John is also helpful in regard to naming William's child Jo
hn and Hugh's son John. The will of
HUGH Barnett in Mecklenburg County does indeed name a son John (among seve
ral others).
CONCLUSION: This is not conclusive, but it is the only evidence I was ab
le to uncover, and I believe I am correct.
PLEASE NOTE the following:
* Mecklenburg Co., NC Deed Book 4, page 560 - 27 February 1768, William Do
naldson of Cumberland
County, Pennsylvania to H(ugh) Barnet of Mecklenburg, for 80 pounds, so
ld 225 acres on north side of west fork of Twelve Mile Creek granted by pa
tent to said Donaldson 16 May 1754. /s/ Willm Donaldson by Thos. Polk.
WIT: Moses Alexander, Samuel Loftain. Recorded July Term 1769.
* Hugh of Pennsylvania had a brother-in -law named Robert Donaldson. He
re we see a Donaldson from"Cumberland County, Pennsylvania" selling Hugh B
arnett land by a Power of Attorney Thomas Polk. In Deed Book 5, page 31
6, Hugh Barnett sold this tract to Andrew Crockett "...being half a gra
nt to William Donaldson and conveyed to Barnett 27 February 1768...". T
he name Robert Donaldson does indeed appear in Mecklenburg records. I beli
eve we can safely "assume" that HUGH BARNETT is the son of THOMAS BARNE
TT Sr. of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania based on the deed from William D
onaldson (of the same exact place) to Hugh Barnett.......
From the report submitted by Timothy Kearney, Raleigh, North Carolina, dat
ed July 5, 2000.
In the name of God almighty this thirteenth day of October seventeen hundr
ed and seventy one, I Thomas Barnett of Cumberland county & township of Ha
milton being sick in body but in good and sound memory thanks be to Almigh
ty God call to remembrance the uncertainty of this.......life & that all f
lesh must yield to death when it shall please God to call, do make constit
ute ordain & declare this my last Will & Testament, in manner & form follo
wing.
Revoking & annulling by these presents all & every testament and testamen
ts Will & Wills heretofore by me made, delivered either by word or writ