My southern ancestors arrived in America in the 18th and 19th centuries from England and Scotland and are connected to the other main surnames through marriages and on-going bloodlines for over 200 years.

First, I will start with the my oldest proven known "Barnhill" ancestor, John, who is shown in the 1800 census records in New Hanover county, NC., with his wife and 4 children. There is a thought that my line goes back to David Barnhill and Margaret Fleming in Pitt County, NC and to Johne and Elizabeth Barnhill who were originally in Baltimore, Maryland, but I have not been able to make this connection with any proof, although it is plausible.

As time passes, the 3 sons, James J., Alexander and John marry and begin families of their own. They reside in New Hanover until sometime between 1820 and 1830, at which time, James J. and Alexander move with their families into Bladen County and obtain farm land on the NE Side of the Cape Fear River. John A. Barnhill moves his family into Bladen sometime after 1840 and prior to 1850 when he appears in the 1850 census records on the NE Side of the Cape Fear River. The area became known as "Frenches Creek" and is now called "Kelly".

They settled along or near the Black River in the communities of Frenches Creek, Lake Creek, Point Caswell, Colvin's Creek, Beatty's Bridge, Atkinson, Columbia Township, Caswell Township, Long Creek, Canetuck, Currie and Watha, just to name a few. Some of these towns were located in the county of Bladen and and some were located in what was then, New Hanover County (until about 1875), when Pender County was formed.

As time passed and with the intermarrying of family lines, generations began moving from Bladen into Pender and Pender into Bladen. Many descendants still live in the same areas today. 

Trades they had were farmers, coopers (barrel makers), turpentiners, sawmill workers, blacksmiths, ship builders and ship captains, to name a few. 

Many, many young men from these lines, just like the many sons of all the families living in the area, served as Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Some died in or as a result of the war, my 2nd great grandfather, Griffith W. Barnhill, being one of them. Obviously, it was a hard, difficult time for these families, but they survived with many generations following them.

The information on this site dates back to 1800 and comes forward to the current timeframe. Obviously, for privacy reasons, no data is shown on any living persons, unless they have specifically given their permission.

Posted in November 2009

Obituaries 2009
- Riley Edward Ridgeway

James B. Horrell Cemetery
- James B. Horrell - 2nd headstone photo added (taken earlier)
- Rebekah Ann Brown Horrell - Photo of headstone added
- Photo of Cemetery entrance