Barnett Family History

Jacob Barnett

Born about 1784 in Virginia, Jacob Barnett died in Clinton County, Indiana on 14 Apr 1854 at age 70. He was buried in Paris Cemetery, Clinton County, Indiana. Jacob was the son of ______ Barnett and Eve Mathias, born about 1762. Eve was a daughter of John Mathias, who settled in a part of Virginia that eventually became Hardy County, West Virginia. His home is now a National Historic Site called the John Mathias House, or John Mathias Homestead. It is located near the town of Mathias, in Hardy County, West Virginia.

Jacob married Elizabeth Webb. Born about 1782 in Pennsylvania. Elizabeth died in Clinton County, Indiana on 16 Apr 1854; she was 72. She also was buried in Paris Cemetery, Clinton County, Indiana.

They had the following children:
i. Aaron (~1806-)
ii. Benjamin (1814-)
iii. Levi (1818-1874)
iv. John Mathias (1822-1880)
v. Adam (1823-)

Jacob and his brother Thomas Barnett were named in the will of John Mathias, dated 13 July 1807, probated 12 October 1819. They were to inherit the “plantation and lands” that John Mathias had purchased from a David Roberts. Thomas' name was intentionally erased from the will, perhaps indicating that he died before the will was probated. John Mathias' other grand children, Joseph, Jacob and John, were to inherit all “other lands”.

On 24 August 1834, Jacob conveyed the inherited Mathias property to his cousins, Jacob and John Mathias. This left the Mathias brothers in possession of most of the nearly 1000 acres originally owned by their grandfather.

Jacob, Elizabeth and their sons' families moved from Virginia to Michigan Township, Clinton County, Indiana about 1835.

Edgar Alanson Barnett

Edgar Alanson Barnett. Born on 18 Sep 1869 in Whitestown Township, Vernon County, Wisconsin, the second son of Ephraim Jacob Barnett and Cedelia Johnson. Edgar grew up on the family's homestead claims in Lake County and Charles Mix County, South Dakota.

After Delbert's death in 1894, Edgar took over his brother's homestead claim to the SW quarter of Section 15 of Iona Township, Lyman County, South Dakota and made his own claim to the NW quarter. He received the patents on these two 160 acre parcels in 1901.

On 4 Jul 1899 when Edgar was 29, he married Martha S. Wilkinson. She was a daughter of Edward William Charnoc Wilkinson & Rachel Anna Porter. She was born in 1880 in Adel Township, Dallas County, Iowa. Edward Wilkinson had a homestead claim on section 24 of La Roche Township, near Ephraim Barnett's homestead. From the Chamberlain Register, 6 July 1899:

“At the Merchants' Hotel, Tuesday, Rev. W. Elwood joined in wedlock Mr. Edgar A. Barnett of Iona, SD and Miss Mattie Wilkinson of Chandler, SD.”

Edgar and Martha had the following children:

i. Elmer Walden Barnett. (1900 - 1977)
ii. Albert Frederick Barnett (1903-1987)
iii. Dorothy Alice Barnett. (1910 - 1990)

In 1910, Edgar received a patent on two 80-acre parcels in Sections 25 and 30, just north of the town of Iona. By 1915, the family had moved a few miles south to Landing Creek Township in Gregory County, South Dakota. In 1923, Edgar purchased two lots in the town of Burke, South Dakota, though it is not clear whether he ever lived on them.

Edgar and Martha were divorced on 18 Dec 1930 in Gregory County, South Dakota. It was said that she left South Dakota to live with relatives in Oregon. It is not known what became of her.

In 1934, Edgar purchased 80 acres from Henry and Belle Bradshaw, in section 1 of Landing Creek Township.

Edgar died in Burke Hospital in Gregory County, South Dakota on 1 Jan 1946; he was 76. He was buried in Graceland Cemetery, Burke, South Dakota.