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Origins of the Barnett family

"... Regarding the Family Register I sent you, our grandfather's name was Charles & he was the second son of John Barnett of Boothstown, his elder brother Tho. Barnett died April 29th 1864 aged 75 years. Charles & Tho. lie side by side in Tyldesley Churchyard, the graves adjoining, but our great-grandfather is interred at Eccles Parish Church, as is also our grandmother the wife of Chas. Barnett.

Tyldesley Parish Church

It is highly probable that the Barnetts established themselves at the Boothstown end of Worsley about the time when Brindley began the Bridgewater canal at Worsley viz about 1762, coming into Lancashire from Nantwich." Letter from Thomas Barnett to his cousin James Barnett. 
Since John Barnett was allegedly aged 84 when he died in 1846, he would have been born about 1762 so could have been born in either Nantwich or Boothstown.

Elizabeth Barnett, the youngest child of Charles Barnett and Ellen Ley made her own investigations but proved nothing conclusive.  She determined the following families living in Nantwich but was unable to link any of them with her grandfather, John Barnett:


"Nantwich Parish Church Registers. Entries under the name of Barnett.

Feb 26th 1744 John, son of John Barnett, Tanner, probably the father of E. Barnett's grandfather
Jan 11th 1747 Richard, son of John Barnett, Tanner
Sep 19th 1750 Daniel, son of John Barnett

also,

Sep 2nd 1744 Sarah, daughter of Thomas Barnett, Tanner
Mar 22nd 1747 Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Barnett, Tanner

N.B. It is possible that John and Thomas were brothers in business together.

also,

May 1st 1766 Richard Barnett married Elizabeth Barnett

N.B. It is possible that these were cousins, the son of John and the daughter of Thomas, mentioned above.
The registers contain between the years of 1770 and 1780 entries of several children born to Richard and Elizabeth Barnett, viz, John, Joseph, James, Elizabeth.

also,

Oct 2nd 1743 Elizabeth, daughter of James Barnett, Cordwainer
Oct 2oth 1746 Charles, son of James Barnett, Cordwainer
Nov 20th 1752 Martha, daughter of James Barnett, Cordwainer

N.B. There is no entry in the Register after 1740 of Samuel, Thomas, James Barnett, thought to be the grandsons of John B. the Tanner, and the cousins of E. Barnett's grandfather.

If Daniel, named above, is the third son of John Barnett the Tanner, it may be that they are his sons born after he had left Nantwich.
N.B. Daniel does not appear to have married in Nantwich.

Before E. Barnett can learn anything certain of her grandfather's relationship to Samuel, Thomas and James Barnett, it is necessary for her to discover the name of their father, whether he was born in Natwich, when he left, whither he went to live, where he was married and his children baptized, and where he died.

If John Barnett, the Tanner ONLY HAD TWO SONS they are John and Richard mentioned above, and it becomes clear that Samuel, Thomas and James, about whom E. Barnett is making enquiries, were not his grandsons.

E. Barnett had better obtain more and better information as to her grandfather's father and uncles. The family bibles are the most likely place to find it.

If the rector of Nantwich can do anything more to help her he will be glad to do so.

11th May 1904" (Information obtained from the Rector of Nantwich for Elizabeth Barnett)

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