Our Barrett Ancestry

The Barrett Family

Polli Jost Turner, Editor

There is much confusion about the early ancestors of this family. Over the years, the elder Barrett has been found under the name of both Abraham and Absolem! We have found in another family that the names Isaiah, Issum and Isom were used interchangeably. Could that be the case with Absolem and Abraham?

Abraham (or Absolem) Barrett, born ca. 1785, in PA. Married (Jan. 22, 1805, in Belmont Co., OH) Elizabeth Henderson, born ca. 1773, in PA. (ages and PA from 1860 census)
(Names of parents assumed by the fact that there was an Abraham Barrett in Jennings Co. with the same number of girls for whom we find marriage records in Jefferson & Jennings Co., ages in the census fit well with the marriages. Abraham and Elizabeth are also found living next to William & Ellen Chambers in the 1850 census of Mercer Co., MO. William & Ellen’s first three children were named John, Elizabeth & Abraham, which would be named after their four parents (if we are correct, both mothers were Elizabeths).
These may be their children:
1. Zenah Barrett,
(born ca. 1808?) married (March 26, 1826, in Jennings Co., IN) Absalom Bishop.
2. Nancy Barrett,
(born ca. 1809?) married (Jan. 2, 1829, in Jennings Co., IN) Lyman Kennedy.
3. Polly Barrett,
(born ca. 1811?) married (Nov. 27, 1829, in Jennings Co., IN) Jacob Leatey.
4. Sarah Barrett,
(born ca. 1813?) married (Oct. 16, 1831, in Jefferson Co., IN) Nathaniel Bolton.
5. Ellen Barrett,
born July 31, 1815, in Ohio. Married (Oct. 10, 1833, in Decatur Co., IN) William Chambers. Her name has also been seen as Ellener, so there’s a possibility that her name may have been Eleanor, or some variety of spelling. There was also a middle initial of C added in one instance.
6. Female Barrett,
born between 1820 and 1825 (from 1840 census).
7. James H. Barrett,
born ca. 1822, in IN. Married (in Mercer Co., MO) Manda (Wesson?). Living with the Wesson family in 1850 census of Harrison Twp., Mercer Co., MO. First child was Abraham.
8. Male (Basil?) Barrett,
born between 1825 and 1830 (from 1840 census). A Basil Barrett joined Zoar Baptist Church (organized by William Chambers' family) in Jan. 1847
9. Absolem B. Barrett,
born March 28, 1828, in IN. Married (May 1847, in Mercer Co., MO) Levy Ann Smothers. She joined Zoar church in May 1847, listed by maiden name, and said to be "consort of Barritt".
His family Bible gives his parents' names as Absolem and Elizabeth Barritt.
In Mercer Co. in 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses. In 1870 census, his name looks suspiciously like Abraham.
10. Eliza Barrett,
born ca. 1842, in IN. Living with Absolem & Elizabeth Barrett in 1850 census of Harrison Twp., Mercer Co., MO.

Barrett Marriages--
Zenah Barrett married (March 26, 1826, in Jennings Co., IN) Absalom Bishop. (born ca. 1808?)
Nancy Barrett married (Jan. 2, 1829, in Jennings Co., IN) Lyman Kennedy. (born ca. 1809?)
Polly Barrett married (Nov. 27, 1829, in Jennings Co., IN) Jacob Leatey. (born ca. 1811?)
Sarah Barrett married (Oct. 16, 1831, in Jefferson Co., IN) Nathaniel Bolton. (born ca. 1813?)
Ellen Barrit married (Oct. 10, 1833, in Decatur Co., IN) William Chambers. (born 1815)
No records for male Barretts found.

1820
Abraham Barritt (Barrett) was in Jennings Co. at the time of the 1820 census. He and his wife were between 26 and 45. They had 2 girls between 10 and 15, and 3 girls under 10.
1830
Abraham is not found in Indiana in the 1830 census index.
Abraham Barrett and his wife Elizabeth bought property in Decatur Co., IN, on Oct. 10, 1826.
Two years later ABSOLEM Barrett sold the same piece of property!
1840
In the 1840 census there is an Abraham Barrett in German Township of Bartholomew Co. (borders Jennings and Decatur Co. on the west). He and his wife were between 50 and 60 years of age. They had 1 boy and 1 girl between 15 and 20, 2 boys between 10 and 15, and 1 girl between 5 and 10 years of age.
There are no Barretts in Jennings, Jefferson, or Decatur Co. in the 1840 index.
1850
There is an Absolem and Elizabeth Barrett in Harrison Twp. of Mercer Co., MO. There were also a James and wife Manda (living with a Wesson family), and an Absolom with wife Lyvy Ann.
1860
There is Abraham and Elizabeth Barrett in Harrison Twp. of Mercer Co., living next door to William and Ellen Chambers.
1870
Abraham and Elizabeth are no longer there. Absolom & Lyvy Ann are still there, with children.
No early Barrett burials in Mercer Co. or Harrison Co., so far as I can find yet.
Absolem Jr. went to Flowery Twp., Franklin Co., AR, sometime after the 1870 census. There were no Barretts there in 1870, though.

Conclusion:
It seems that Abraham and Elizabeth were the parents of this family. However, there are still some things that haven't been resolved. One is the 1860 census, listing them as Absolem and Elizabeth. And the other is the family Bible of Absolem (who married Lyvy Ann) which gives his parents' names as Absolem and Elizabeth. However, we know that the younger children were born in Indiana, and there was never an Absolem Barritt in the Indiana censuses, which there should be, at least in 1830, for that to be true. Confusion!

Miscellaneous notes:
Jonathon Barrett was in Jennings Co. at the time of the 1820 census. He and his wife were between 26 and 45. They had a boy between 16 and 25, and four girls and one boy, all under 10. Jonathon is found in Jefferson Co. in the 1830 census. There are no other Barretts in Jennings, Jefferson, or Decatur Co., in 1830. In 1840, there was a Jonathon in Marion Co.
Jonathon Barrett took oath as Jennings Co. associate judge, June 6, 1819. William Prather was another of the judges.
Ellen was born July 31, 1815, in Ohio, acc. to a census. In Ohio, we find a Jonathon Barrett in Fairfield Twsp., Highland Co., Ohio, in 1808 through 1810 tax lists (the book covered only 1800 to 1810).
And in Belmont Co., we find a marriage for Abraham Barrett and Elizabeth Henderson on Jan. 22, 1805.
Cincinnati Land Office (I guess this is where they made their purchase or
filed a claim)
James Barrett, 12-8-1801, living in Hamilton Co., OH at the time
Steubenville Land Office (in Jefferson Co.)
Barret, Art. Sr., 4-1-1805, living in Jefferson Co.
Barrett, Abm., 1-7-1807, living in Jefferson Co.
Barrett, Arthur Sr., 12-29-1802," " Frederick Co., VA
Barrett, Arthur Sr., 12-13-1811, living in Jefferson Co.
Barrett, David, 6-12-1805, living in Jefferson Co.
Marietta Land Office (Washington Co.)
Donation Tract Lands
("given by the Ohio Land Company to males 18 & over who promised to carry a
gun and protect the approaches to the Marietta settlement from the Indians.
. . 100 acres each, and in some particular instances a man received more
than one allotment. The period covered from 1790 to 1820 when the Indians
were still to be feared.")
Asa Barrett, Wolf Creek, west branch of Wolf Creek (two parcels)
William Barrett, Bear Creek (2 parcels)
Now, Cincinnati is on the western border of Ohio. But Jefferson, Belmont
and Washington are on the east border. Belmont was formed in 1801 inbetween
Jefferson and Washington Co. from pieces of each of them. Monroe was formed
in 1813, in between Belmont and Washington, from pieces of each. So other
than James, these Barretts seemed to be sticking together.
Henderson:
Steubenville Land Office:
Henderson, Jn. 12-10-1803, Mifflin Co., PA
Henderson, Jn. 5-22-1804, Belmont Co.
Henderson, Jn. 7-5-1804, Jeferson Co.
Henderson, Thos. 9-20-1811, Steubenville
Henderson, Wm. 7-24-1804, Jefferson Co.
Also many Henderson marriages in the area
Many Barretts and Hendersons in PA. Many Hendersons in Mifflin Co., in 1790, but no Barretts
Looking over the names of William and Ellen’s children I see their first three:
Elizabeth, named after both of their mothers
Abraham, named after Ellen’s father
John, named after William’s father
Also:
Polly (Mary) named after Ellen’s sister
Zerniah, named after Ellen’s sister Zernah or Zenah

The approximate ages of the girls fit the ages of the five girls in Abraham’s family in the 1820 census!
Still a theory, but I think a very strong one!

March 1, 2013
Polli Turner