The Annals of Newberry

This file was transcribed and contributed to the Reuben Barrett website by Bruce Barrett.

The Annals of Newberry

First published in 1892, the book is divided into two parts. The first (pp. 1ñ326) was written by (Judge) John Belton OíNeall (1793-1863) and completed around 1858. The second part was compiled and written by John Abney Chapman (b. 1821, d. Aft. 1892). Chapman seems to have been a nephew of OíNeall, himself a descendent of prominent Quakers.

This is a delightful and informative text, filled with vivid accounts of people and events, witnessed either first-hand, or perhaps retold from one generation earlier. Below are excerpted passages that reference Barretts or allied kin. There are other lengthy sections, not reproduced here, which relate to the Quaker Community at Bush River and other persons with whom the Barretts had dealings. The following brief citations may be of interest.

28-39 Quakers

55 Cleland and Stewart

59 Dick Turner

63 Swearingen

86 Thweatt

89 Shaw & Company

133, 175 Kirk

195-196 Dick Turner

292-295 Last Quaker Meeting

480 Joseph Irby

492 I swallowed a salamander

516-517 Daniel Stewart, Conwill, Jenkins

521-525 Turner, Rainey, Stewart, Towels

532 Waldrop

536 Towels and Stewart

536 Turner and Towels

576 Gillespe - War of 1812, Turner

578 Robert Wright

598 Family Bible

580-581 Reid - War of 1812

602 Waldrop

614 Towels and Turner

19-20 Carnes and Shaw were rival lawyers, at the county court bar of Newberry ñ Carnes was a very large man ñ Shaw a very small one. Carnes was remarkable for his wit and good humor ñ Shaw for his pride and petulance. The latter when irritated could make no argument. On one occasion, in a case of some consequence, Carnes had made the opening speech, and sat down. Shaw arose and commenced his argument alongside of Carnes. When standing, the lappel of the coat of the former was just even with that of the latter. Large buttons, and straight-breasted coats were then the rage. Carnes buttoned a button or two of Shawís coat into his, snatched up his hat, jumped up in a great hurry, and walked to the door, dragging, apparently without noticing it, poor Shaw after him. At the door, he affected to have discovered it, for the first time, and looking down at him with apparent surprise, he exclaimed, ìBrother pop corn, what mischievous rascal hitched you to me?î The ruse had the effect intended. Shaw, when released, was so enraged he could not make his speech.

65 Their [the Dunkers] settlement was on the Palmetto Branch, north of Bush River. Ö Among these Dunkers and the Quakers, without any definite participation in either, lived the Elmores, Mills, Hawkins, Brooks, Atkins, McKinseys, Larges, Gilliland, Abernathys, Coates, Downs, Hilburns, Thweatts, Sheppards, Ramages, Nances, Gilliams, Coopers, Cates, Myers, Juliens, Rileys, Elsmores, Barretts, Curetons, Harps, Hayes.

286-288 In 1801 Hugh OíNeal [born 1767] started a water cotton-gin, made by William Barret (sic). The plates for the saws were made at William Coateís shop. No machine ever ran with greater power or more success, although the first person, Joseph Wright, who attended to it had his hand torn all to pieces by the saws. Ö

A recollection of an incident in the beginning of 1802, I may, perhaps, be pardoned in repeating. A very large poplar tree lay at the mouth of the first branch, north of Hugh OíNeallís mills. Bush river was in flood; the water had entirely submerged the mill-dam. Hugh OíNeall, William Barret and Levi Hilburn concluded that, with a common batteau and a rope, after the tree was cut loose, they could tow it down to the sawmill of the latter, opposite to OíNeall’s mill. Accordingly, they succeeded in getting the tree loose, and in towing it, until they neared the dam. Then the force of water carried them beyond their point; the tree, batteau and all passed into an eddy below the sawmill. To get it above the sawmill was the object. Hilburn was persuaded to get out on the log, and with a pole force it along; the other two were to manage the batteau and tow. Having accomplished the most difficult of the ascent, and reached a point where the water was deep, but comparatively still, the boatmen were continually calling out, ìPole, Levi; pole Levi!î He, straining every muscle, made a mislick with his pole, and fell into water more than ten feet deep. Rising, he essayed to mount the log, but it rolling under his hands, he received another dunking. At last he succeeded in mounting astride. Then again he was called on to ìpole,î but he swore one of his biggest oaths, (and anybody who ever heard Levi Hilburn swear must know it could hardly be excelled,) ìthat he would pole no more.î Just then Barret, looking around him, looking around him, dripping, and with his unusually large lips much swelled, said to Hugh OíNeall, ìDid you ever see any one look so much like Tom Lindseyís Ne[g]ro?î The name thus given adhered to him ever after. The poplar tree thus obtained was sawed into planks, and out of them were made coffins for the two sons, the wife of, and Capt. Daniel Parkins himself, who died in the great epidemic of 1802, as detailed [later].

331 Ö this exodus [of the Quakers from Newberry to Ohio] was far from being confined to the Friends. The Barretts, Elmores, Halls, Denny, Campbells, Laytons and others, who removed during that period were not members of the Friendsí Church, and many of them were not of any.

356 [Regarding the Quakers who removed to Ohio,] [t]here were many Halls and Pennys went from Newberry; also Barretts, Elmores, Laytons, Campbells and others, of whom some were very worthy, but need not further notice.

412 [Confederate Roster, Company F, Twentieth Regiment, S.C.V.] Ö B. Barrett discharged at Sullivanís Island.

518-521 Coateís Meeting house was on the public road leading from Newberry C. H. to Longís Bridge on Little River by way of Deadfall, and between Deadfall and the bridge about two hundred yards from where Mr. G. Henry Werts now lives. It was built by the Quakers on the place now owned by James B. Clary, and was called White Lick. Shortly after the exodus of the Quakers in the early part of the present century it was occupied for a time by the Methodists, as I judge from an anecdote which I remember to have heard when a small boy.

An itinerant preacher by the name of Russell had the Newberry Circuit in charge. He was a great revivalist, and I suppose did more to build up the Methodist denomination and give it a firm foothold in the county than any other man has done, before of since. Houses of worship were very scarce, and he therefore, was in the habit of preaching at any neighborís house who would let him do so, either day or night. One night he was having quite a stormy meeting at a neighborís house and at the close of the services opened the door of the church for the reception of members. A man by the name of Arthur Barrett had been quietly sleeping through the whole sermon, but when the call for joiners was made the rush and noise were so great that he awoke, and, seeing quite a number going up and giving their hands, he did likewise, and then quietly went back and resumed his nap. When it was all over the preacher took out his book and began reading the names of those who had joined and calling upon them to state at what church they wished their names enrolled. When Brother Barrettís name was called, some person went and waked him up, when the preacher said: ìBrother Barrett, where do you wish to have your membership recorded?î Said he, ìAt White Lick, I imagine.î

Doctor Clements was a cabinet-maker and had a shop at Esquire Henry Coateís. Among other things he made was a musical instrument called a dulcimer, upon which he also played with much skill. Some time after Mr. Barrett had joined the church he called on Mr Clements and asked him to play a tune for him. To the Doctorís query, ìWhat tune will you have?î he replied, ìA spiritual tune, by all means.î The doctor then struck up ìLeather Breeches,î and looking around saw his auditor sitting as if in a trance, with the tears rolling down around his cheeks, and when he had finished Barrett remarked: ìThat was delicious,î at the same time wiping his eyes.

Some Esquire, perhaps Esquire Coate, once appointed him a constable and directed him to serve a summons in a case of debt on one of the neighbors, remarking that he wished it served immediately. Barrett mounted his horse and started as if life and death depended on his speed. At a sudden turn in the road he met a woman on foot and called to her, ìGet out of the way, for I am on urgent business.î She was too slow, however, and he ran her over.

[The first story of Arthur sleeping during the revival meeting and then misunderstanding the preacherís question is wonderful. The pastor had inquired which congregation Arthur wished to join, but Arthur understood him to mean where should the paper be signed.

And the second is equally lively: It seems the boys were having a bit of fun at Arthurís expense. The tune, ìLeather Breechesî, probably derived from the Scottish tune, ìPaddy;s Leather Breechesî, is an up-beat blue grass folk song, not likely to be confused with, ìa spiritual tuneî.

But the last story of Arthur as the newly sworn and overly enthusiastic constable is my favorite. It conjures up images of Arthur as the ìBarney Fifeî of his day, an amiable fellow who is, unwittingly, the source of much of the town-folkís amusement.]

526 Down the road towards Mendenhallís Mill lived James McCann. His house was in a flat near the spring and surrounded on three sides by hills, which ran down near the house. It had been Built, however, by some former owner, I think a Captain Barrett.

782 The following names have vanished from the records of the county entirely. Their blood, however, still flows in the veins of their descendants of other names; but their names are now only matters of history or tradition, and some of them are but dimly remembered and are almost forgotten: Ö McCoole, Hollingsworth, Gilbert, Ö Pemberton, Inman, Ö Kirk, Ö Thweet, Barrett, Ö OíNeall, Ö .

Traditional Scottish Song: Paddy's Leather Breeches http://members.tripod.com/~colonies/leather.htm

http://www.countysales.com/catalog/product2953.html

http://www.io.com/~turtles/ale.html

http://www.bandleader.co.uk/bndnet/2011s.htm

http://www.bandleader.co.uk/bndnet/2011s.htm

http://store.yahoo.com/britshoppe/legpipwilros.html

Bluegrass song Leather Breeches

http://www.labs.net/simplex/musicanddance/playlist.htm

http://www.trytel.com/~cfalt/Fiddle/

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/afccchtml/0235.html

Excerpted from this same volume, pp. 19-20 is an account of an altercation between rival attorneys Peter Carnes (or Carns) and William Shaw.

Carnes and Shaw were rival lawyers, at the county court bar of Newberry ñ Carnes was a very large man ñ Shaw a very small one. Carnes was remarkable for his wit and good humor ñ Shaw for his pride and petulance. The latter when irritated could make no argument. On one occasion, in a case of some consequence, Carnes had made the opening speech, and sat down. Shaw arose and commenced his argument alongside of Carnes. When standing, the lappel of the coat of the former was just even with that of the latter. Large buttons, and straight-breasted coats were then the rage. Carnes buttoned a button or two of Shawís coat into his, snatched up his hat, jumped up in a great hurry, and walked to the door, dragging, apparently without noticing it, poor Shaw after him. At the door, he affected to have discovered it, for the first time, and looking down at him with apparent surprise, he exclaimed, ìBrother pop corn, what mischievous rascal hitched you to me?î The ruse had the effect intended. Shaw, when released, was so enraged he could not make his speech.