I just completed an essay on my great great-grandfather, Samuel Barnett, (1838-1920) who was a life long member of the German Baptist Brethren Church - later the Church of the Brethren. Most of his descendants remained with the church. Samuel Barnett's son in law, Reverend William N. Hoover, (1871-1954) served Brethren Churches in Hollidaysburg, Warriors Mark and Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania. He married my parents, Hattie (Barnett) and Michael Bechtel in the Roaring Spring Church of the Brethren in 1931. Samuel was married in the German Baptist Brethren Church in Bakers Summit, Pennsylvania. Does anyone know what happened to the church records from that church which no longer exists? I am looking for information about the parents of Samuel Barnett - Frederick and Eve (Wagner) Barnett who were born in Pennsylvania and probably were Brethren. I will appreciate any help from others. Dee Bechtel Howard Introduction When I was a little girl I asked my grandmother, “How did I get red hair?” She replied, “Your great-grandfather Barnett had a red beard.” That’s all I ever heard of the red bearded man. Years later when I began a study of the history of my family, I came upon a letter written by my cousin, Olive Barnet of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to a genealogist asking for information about our great-grandfather, Samuel Barnett (1838-1920). She received a reply which read, “… Samuel Barnett served as a Private in Company I, 149th Pa. Volunteers Infantry, enlisting on August 26, 1863 and discharged December 30, 1863.” The letter also stated that he was buried in Albright Brethren Church Cemetery. I drove to this burial ground just outside Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, and found the tombstone of Samuel Barnett. His tombstone is large – slender, tall and decorated to designate his military service. He is buried with his first and second wives, Sara Ann Cashman and Sarah Jane Croft. Buried next to him is his son, John Barnett. Samuel Barnett’s Parents To learn more about my great grandfather I began a search to discover his history. I looked for information about his parents and found their names on his death certificate. They were Frederick and Eve (Wagner) Barnett who were born in Pennsylvania. Among military records I found a General Affidavit in the matter of a Civil War Pension Application for Samuel Barnett. The document reads that Lois Albright, age 47 and a resident of Roaring Spring, Blair County, Pennsylvania, states, “I am well acquainted with Samuel Barnett. I have known him for 37 years. His name is spelled Barnett, not Bernard. I have known his father and he spelled his name Barnett.” From this statement it would seem that Samuel’s parents lived in the same area where he and Mrs. Albright lived; however, I could not find land, tax, or church records for Frederick and Eve Barnett in the Bakers Summit area of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, where Samuel lived, nor in Blair County, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Albright resided. Because of Samuel’s life-long relationship with the German Baptist Brethren Church, it could be assumed that his parents associated with that church and therefore, were probably of German or Pennsylvania Dutch descent. Samuel Barnett’s Death and Obituaries Samuel’s death certificate states his cause of death was “old age.” (He was 82 at his death.) Samuel’s obituary revealed he had worked in the ore mines around Bakers Summit and Ore Hill in Bedford County, Pennsylvania and that he owned and farmed land in that area. Samuel died intestate in 1920 and left an estate of $100 plus a farm worth about $1,000. One of his obituaries states he was a member of the Woodbury Church of the Brethren for many years. Another obituary claims he was a long time member of the Roaring Spring Church of the Brethren where his funeral was held. Samuel Barnett’s Family Samuel married twice. His first wife was Sarah Ann Cashman, whose family owned land adjoining the Barnett farm. This union produced four children. (1) Charles Cashman Barnett, the first born, lived in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, and worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Altoona as a blacksmith’s assistant. He married Mary Nofskar Hoover from the Clover Creek area of Blair County. He was a member of the Church of the Brethren in Roaring Spring and established a family home on Bloomfield Street next to the church. Their children were: Elvin Hoover Barnett, Hattie (Harriet) Pearl Barnett and Celia Josephine Barnett. (2) The second born was Susan who married Reverend William Nofskar Hoover, brother of Mary Nofskar Hoover above, and became the wife of a preacher in the Church of the Brethren. The family lived and served Brethren Churches in Roaring Spring, Hollidaysburg, and Warriors Mark. They retired in State College, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Milton B. Hoover, Ollie B. Hoover, J. Emmert Hoover, John B. Hoover, Mae Hoover, Hazel Hoover, and Ethel Hoover. (3) William M. Barnett, the third son, became a butcher with a business on Hog Back in Roaring Spring. He married Mary Elizabeth Replogle. The Hoovers were life-long members of the Church of the Brethren. When retired, Will and his family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Olive Susannah Barnett and Ruth Viola Barnett. They adopted Ralph Edwin Barnett. (4) The last child was John who lived at home at least until his 36th birthday. He remained unmarried operating a chicken farm in the Bakers Summit area until his death in 1950. Note: John Barnett never owned an automobile. I remember seeing him walking from his farm into Roaring Spring past my grandmother’s house on Bloomfield Street. After the death of his first wife, Samuel married Sarah Jane Croft in 1887 in the German Baptist Brethren Church in Bakers Summit, Pennsylvania. She survived him by four years. Samuel Barnett’s Military Records I acquired a full pension file and military service file for Samuel’s Civil War service from the National Archives to document Samuel Barnett’s military records. He was drafted as a private on the 26th day of August 1863. The enrollment form reveals he was born March 4, 1838 at Bedford, Pennsylvania. He could not sign his name. He was five feet-six ½ inches tall with a florid complexion, blue eyes, and as my grandmother had told me so long ago, his hair was red. His occupation was laborer. On October 1, 1863 he was received at draft rendezvous, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, assigned, and forwarded to the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers. In a General Affidavit dated 1899 he stated, “That he was kept under guard with a number of soldiers at Chambersburg for about two weeks then was marched to Carlisle and there kept till about Oct the first then was taken to reinforce at the Second Bull Run fight.” The regimental return for October 1863, reports him, “Loss, Oct 7/63, conscript assigned to Co.” In 1900 Samuel completed a Declaration for an Original Invalid Pension form reporting the following information: “That while a member of the organization aforesaid, (149 regiment of Pa. Infantry) in service and in line of duty at Bull Run in the State of Virginia on or about the 26th of September 1863 he contacted jaundice and disease of liver and resulting piles. That he was treated in hospital as follows – Invalided in hospital at Rappahannock, state of Virginia, for jaundice for some time. Immediately after discharged and for years thereafter treated by Dr. (Charles) Olie at Woodbury, Pa.” Note: The first Battle of Bull Run was fought in 1861 and the second Battle of Bull Run in 1862. Samuel Barnett did not enter the army until 1863! Does this discrepancy in dates mean that Samuel was sent a year after the Battle of Bull Run to relieve soldiers guarding ground won in battle or did Samuel enhance his service record in order to gain a Civil War disability pension? After four months in service, Samuel was found to be medically unable to continue military duty. His condition was described as “hypertrophy of the heart of several years standing.” He was honorably discharged on December 30, 1863 in Culpepper, Virginia. His certificate of disability for discharge was signed by William Humphrey, Surgeon, 149th Reg. P. V. Samuel, now 25 years old, returned home just after January 8, 1864, the birth date of his first child, Charles Cashman Barnett. Civil War Pension On July 19, 1920, a Civil War pension check was returned to the United States Government noting that Samuel Barnett was deceased and his Civil War pension payment was cancelled. This marked the end of a long and hard fought battle Samuel waged to earn a Civil War pension for his physical disabilities. Over 100 pages of documents tell the story of Samuel Barnett’s attempt to prove his right to compensation for his military service. As his name had been spelled incorrectly on discharge papers as Samuel Bernard instead of Barnett, Samuel had to complete many documents to prove the correct spelling of his name and therefore his military identity. He did not read or write, so he went to notaries to have the documents completed and notarized. In 1890 he was rejected for a pension. In 1891 he was examined by a physician and declared ¾ disabled. In an application dated 1889, he claimed the following infirmities: piles, rheumatism, heart, general debility. He described his health at age 61 in 1899 as follows: “I have pain and stiffness in all my joints and muscles. Keeps me from sleep, have fluttering, feel faint like falling, short of breath, my hands swell. My piles come down and bleed. I am weak and nervous and not able to do any work.” Another physician’s certificate describes his medical condition as follows: “He had rheumatism, fluttering of the heart, shortness of breath, weak eyes, pain in his right side so severe at times he could hardly get his breath, inward piles, tongue coated and fissured, atrophy of the liver, contracted over the stomach and lower abdomen, abdominal veins enlarged and prominent, and skin with a sallow appearance.” In 1904 a Surgeons Certificate was issued for his pension claim. His medical condition was described: “Is 66 years, 7 months, and 17 days of age: crown of head bald, hair quite gray: muscles relaxed and flabby: palms soft: marked arcus senilis {white or gray opaque ring in the corneal margin of both eyes}: has no teeth in upper and only 5 black snags for teeth in lower maxillary: has the appearance of a man 70 years of age. No evidence of vicious habits.” In another report his nutrition was labeled poor. He received $10 per month disability pension at this time. In 1912 he received a pension of $18 monthly which increased to $21 in 1913. At his death in 1920 his pension had increased to $50 a month. After Samuel’s death in 1920, his widow, Sarah J. Barnett of 315 Juniata Street, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, received a widow’s Civil War pension until her death in 1924. Conclusions Samuel Barnett lived a long life enduring many physical disabilities. He may have worked as a laborer in the iron mines of the Ore Hill area of Pennsylvania and he owned and farmed land near Baker Summit. He did not read or write, but his four children went to school and found success in their work and with their families. He was persistent and capable in pursuing Civil War benefits leaving a full record of his military and post-military life. It can be assumed that Samuel Barnett was of German or Pennsylvania Dutch heritage for at least four reasons: (1) His first wife was a member of the Cashman/Kirschmann family who immigrated to Pennsylvania from Baden-Guttenberg or the Black Forest area of Germany in the middle 1700’s. Colonial families tended to marry within their ethnic and religious groups. (2) His second marriage was held in a German Baptist Brethren Church and he was a life-long member of the same church, later called the Church of the Brethren. (3) His funeral was held in a Brethren Church and he was buried in a German Baptist Brethren Church cemetery. (4) As a descendant of Samuel Barnett I learned to know all of his children, most of his grandchildren and some of his great grandchildren. There was a cultural tendency among these people to Pennsylvania Dutch culture and tradition. Although the name Barnett appears in the British Isles, it also is seen in the immigration documents from Germany in the 1700’s. I do not remember any cultural reference to United Kingdom cultures, so I believe Samuel was of German descent. Two area newspapers carried the obituary of Samuel Barnett, so he and his family must have been people of note in the community where they lived. ----

This is an impressive story with well done research. I am not related but it makes me yearn to learn more about my family. Thanks for sharing this. Jean Edwards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dee Howard" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 6:23 PM Subject: [BRE] Samuel Barnett - Pennsylvania- Church of the Brethren Member >I just completed an essay on my great great-grandfather, Samuel Barnett, > (1838-1920) who was a life long member of the German Baptist Brethren > Church - > later the Church of the Brethren. Most of his descendants remained with > the > church. Samuel Barnett's son in law, Reverend William N. Hoover, > (1871-1954) > served Brethren Churches in Hollidaysburg, Warriors Mark and Roaring > Spring, > Pennsylvania. He married my parents, Hattie (Barnett) and Michael Bechtel > in > the Roaring Spring Church of the Brethren in 1931. Samuel was married in > the > German Baptist Brethren Church in Bakers Summit, Pennsylvania. Does > anyone know > what happened to the church records from that church which no longer > exists? I > am looking for information about the parents of Samuel Barnett - Frederick > and > Eve (Wagner) Barnett > who were born in Pennsylvania and probably were Brethren. I will > appreciate any > help from others. > > Dee Bechtel Howard > > > > Introduction > > When I was a little girl I asked my grandmother, “How did I get red hair?” > She > replied, “Your great-grandfather Barnett had a red beard.” That’s all I > ever > heard of the red bearded man. > > > Years later when I began a study of the history of my family, I came upon > a > letter written by my cousin, Olive Barnet of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to > a > genealogist asking for information about our great-grandfather, Samuel > Barnett > (1838-1920). She received a reply which read, “… Samuel Barnett served as > a > Private in Company I, 149th Pa. Volunteers Infantry, enlisting on August > 26, > 1863 and discharged December 30, 1863.” The letter also stated that he > was > buried in Albright Brethren Church Cemetery. I drove to this burial > ground just > outside Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania, and found the tombstone of Samuel > Barnett. His tombstone is large – slender, tall and decorated to > designate his > military service. He is buried with his first and second wives, Sara Ann > Cashman and Sarah Jane Croft. Buried next to him is his son, John > Barnett. > > Samuel Barnett’s Parents > > To learn more about my great grandfather I began a search to discover his > history. I looked for information about his parents and found their names > on > his death certificate. They were Frederick and Eve (Wagner) Barnett who > were > born in Pennsylvania. Among military records I found a General Affidavit > in the > matter of a Civil War Pension Application for Samuel Barnett. The > document > reads that Lois Albright, age 47 and a resident of Roaring Spring, Blair > County, > Pennsylvania, states, “I am well acquainted with Samuel Barnett. I have > known > him for 37 years. His name is spelled Barnett, not Bernard. I have known > his > father and he spelled his name Barnett.” From this statement it would > seem that > Samuel’s parents lived in the same area where he and Mrs. Albright lived; > however, I could not find land, tax, or church records for Frederick and > Eve > Barnett in the Bakers Summit area of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, where > Samuel > lived, nor in Blair County, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Albright resided. > > Because of Samuel’s life-long relationship with the German Baptist > Brethren > Church, it could be assumed that his parents associated with that church > and > therefore, were probably of German or Pennsylvania Dutch descent. > > > > Samuel Barnett’s Death and Obituaries > > Samuel’s death certificate states his cause of death was “old age.” (He > was 82 > at his death.) Samuel’s obituary revealed he had worked in the ore mines > around > Bakers Summit and Ore Hill in Bedford County, Pennsylvania and that he > owned and > farmed land in that area. Samuel died intestate in 1920 and left an > estate of > $100 plus a farm worth about $1,000. One of his obituaries states he was > a > member of the Woodbury Church of the Brethren for many years. Another > obituary > claims he was a long time member of the Roaring Spring Church of the > Brethren > where his funeral was held. > > > Samuel Barnett’s Family > > Samuel married twice. His first wife was Sarah Ann Cashman, whose family > owned > land adjoining the Barnett farm. This union produced four children. > > > (1) Charles Cashman Barnett, the first born, lived in Roaring Spring, > Pennsylvania, and worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Altoona as a > blacksmith’s assistant. He married Mary Nofskar Hoover from the Clover > Creek > area of Blair County. He was a member of the Church of the Brethren in > Roaring > Spring and established a family home on Bloomfield Street next to the > church. > Their children were: Elvin Hoover Barnett, Hattie (Harriet) Pearl Barnett > and > Celia Josephine Barnett. > > (2) The second born was Susan who married Reverend William Nofskar Hoover, > brother of Mary Nofskar Hoover above, and became the wife of a preacher in > the > Church of the Brethren. The family lived and served Brethren Churches in > Roaring > Spring, Hollidaysburg, and Warriors Mark. They retired in State College, > Pennsylvania. Their children were: Milton B. Hoover, Ollie B. Hoover, J. > Emmert > Hoover, John B. Hoover, Mae Hoover, Hazel Hoover, and Ethel Hoover. > > > (3) William M. Barnett, the third son, became a butcher with a business on > Hog > Back in Roaring Spring. He married Mary Elizabeth Replogle. The Hoovers > were > life-long members of the Church of the Brethren. When retired, Will and > his > family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their children were: Olive > Susannah > Barnett and Ruth Viola Barnett. They adopted Ralph Edwin Barnett. > > (4) The last child was John who lived at home at least until his 36th > birthday. > He remained unmarried operating a chicken farm in the Bakers Summit area > until > his death in 1950. > > > Note: John Barnett never owned an automobile. I remember seeing him > walking > from his farm into Roaring Spring past my grandmother’s house on > Bloomfield > Street. > > > After the death of his first wife, Samuel married Sarah Jane Croft in 1887 > in > the German Baptist Brethren Church in Bakers Summit, Pennsylvania. She > survived > him by four years. > > > Samuel Barnett’s Military Records > > I acquired a full pension file and military service file for Samuel’s > Civil War > service from the National Archives to document Samuel Barnett’s military > records. He was drafted as a private on the 26th day of August 1863. The > enrollment form reveals he was born March 4, 1838 at Bedford, > Pennsylvania. He > could not sign his name. He was five feet-six ½ inches tall with a florid > complexion, blue eyes, and as my grandmother had told me so long ago, his > hair > was red. His occupation was laborer. > > > On October 1, 1863 he was received at draft rendezvous, Carlisle, > Pennsylvania, > assigned, and forwarded to the 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers. In a > General > Affidavit dated 1899 he stated, “That he was kept under guard with a > number of > soldiers at Chambersburg for about two weeks then was marched to Carlisle > and > there kept till about Oct the first then was taken to reinforce at the > Second > Bull Run fight.” The regimental return for October 1863, reports him, > “Loss, > Oct 7/63, conscript assigned to Co.” In 1900 Samuel completed a > Declaration for > an Original Invalid Pension form reporting the following information: > “That > while a member of the organization aforesaid, (149 regiment of Pa. > Infantry) in > service and in line of duty at Bull Run in the State of Virginia on or > about the > 26th of September 1863 he contacted jaundice and disease of liver and > resulting > piles. That he was treated in hospital as follows – Invalided in hospital > at > Rappahannock, state of Virginia, for jaundice for some time. Immediately > after > discharged and for years thereafter treated by Dr. (Charles) Olie at > Woodbury, > Pa.” > > > > Note: The first Battle of Bull Run was fought in 1861 and the second > Battle of > Bull Run in 1862. Samuel Barnett did not enter the army until 1863! Does > this > discrepancy in dates mean that Samuel was sent a year after the Battle of > Bull > Run to relieve soldiers guarding ground won in battle or did Samuel > enhance his > service record in order to gain a Civil War disability pension? > > After four months in service, Samuel was found to be medically unable to > continue military duty. His condition was described as “hypertrophy of > the > heart of several years standing.” He was honorably discharged on December > 30, > 1863 in Culpepper, Virginia. His certificate of disability for discharge > was > signed by William Humphrey, Surgeon, 149th Reg. P. V. Samuel, now 25 > years old, > returned home just after January 8, 1864, the birth date of his first > child, > Charles Cashman Barnett. > > > Civil War Pension > > On July 19, 1920, a Civil War pension check was returned to the United > States > Government noting that Samuel Barnett was deceased and his Civil War > pension > payment was cancelled. This marked the end of a long and hard fought > battle > Samuel waged to earn a Civil War pension for his physical disabilities. > > > Over 100 pages of documents tell the story of Samuel Barnett’s attempt to > prove > his right to compensation for his military service. As his name had been > spelled > incorrectly on discharge papers as Samuel Bernard instead of Barnett, > Samuel had > to complete many documents to prove the correct spelling of his name and > therefore his military identity. He did not read or write, so he went to > notaries to have the documents completed and notarized. In 1890 he was > rejected > for a pension. In 1891 he was examined by a physician and declared ¾ > disabled. > In an application dated 1889, he claimed the following infirmities: piles, > rheumatism, > > heart, general debility. He described his health at age 61 in 1899 as > follows: > “I have pain and stiffness in all my joints and muscles. Keeps me from > sleep, > have fluttering, feel faint like falling, short of breath, my hands swell. > My > piles come down and bleed. I am weak and nervous and not able to do any > work.” > > > Another physician’s certificate describes his medical condition as > follows: “He > had rheumatism, fluttering of the heart, shortness of breath, weak eyes, > pain in > his right side so severe at times he could hardly get his breath, inward > piles, > tongue coated and fissured, atrophy of the liver, contracted over the > stomach > and lower abdomen, abdominal veins enlarged and prominent, and skin with a > sallow appearance.” > > In 1904 a Surgeons Certificate was issued for his pension claim. His > medical > condition was described: “Is 66 years, 7 months, and 17 days of age: crown > of > head bald, hair quite gray: muscles relaxed and flabby: palms soft: marked > arcus > senilis > {white or gray opaque ring in the corneal margin of both eyes}: has no > teeth in > upper and only 5 black snags for teeth in lower maxillary: has the > appearance of > a man 70 years of age. No evidence of vicious habits.” In another report > his > nutrition was labeled poor. He received $10 per month disability pension > at > this time. In 1912 he received a pension of $18 monthly which increased to > $21 > in 1913. At his death in 1920 his pension had increased to $50 a month. > > After Samuel’s death in 1920, his widow, Sarah J. Barnett of 315 Juniata > Street, > Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, received a widow’s Civil War pension until > her > death in 1924. > > > Conclusions > > Samuel Barnett lived a long life enduring many physical disabilities. He > may > have worked as a laborer in the iron mines of the Ore Hill area of > Pennsylvania > and he owned and farmed land near Baker Summit. He did not read or write, > but > his four children went to school and found success in their work and with > their > families. He was persistent and capable in pursuing Civil War benefits > leaving > a full record of his military and post-military life. > > > It can be assumed that Samuel Barnett was of German or Pennsylvania Dutch > heritage for at least four reasons: (1) His first wife was a member of > the > Cashman/Kirschmann family who immigrated to Pennsylvania from > Baden-Guttenberg > or the Black Forest area of Germany in the middle 1700’s. Colonial > families > tended to marry within their ethnic and religious groups. (2) His second > marriage was held in a German Baptist Brethren Church and he was a > life-long > member of the same church, later called the Church of the Brethren. (3) > His > funeral was held in a Brethren Church and he was buried in a German > Baptist > Brethren Church cemetery. (4) As a descendant of Samuel Barnett I > learned to > know all of his children, most of his grandchildren and some of his great > grandchildren. There was a cultural tendency among these people to > Pennsylvania > Dutch culture and tradition. Although the name Barnett appears in the > British > Isles, it also is seen in the immigration documents from Germany in the > 1700’s. > I do not remember any cultural reference to United Kingdom cultures, so I > believe Samuel was of German descent. > > > Two area newspapers carried the obituary of Samuel Barnett, so he and his > family > must have been people of note in the community where they lived. > > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > > > ------------------------ > Search the Archives at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/BRETHREN > ------------------------ > Support Our Sponsoring Agency > The Fellowship Of Brethren Genealogists (FOBG) > For further information contact Ron McAdams mailto:[email protected] > ------------------------ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message