BARNETT/ BURNETT FAMILY

1. Mary Barnett, born say 1710, was the white servant woman of Edwin Hickman of
Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on 5 September 1728 when she confessed to the
churchwardens of St. George Parish that she had a "Mulatto bastard by a Negroe
man." And she confessed to having a second child by a "Negro" man before 4 November
1730 [Orders 1724-30, 262, 270; 1730-32, 5, 9, 14]. She may have been the mother of
Dinah, Cloe, Sawny and Doll Burnett, "mulatto children" ordered bound out by the
churchwardens of St. Margaret's Parish in Caroline County on 12 April 1751. On 12
July 1759 the court ordered that Charles Noden be arrested for removing Dinah,
Peter, Sawney, Doll, Sarah and Scilla Burnetts out of the county [Orders 1746-54,
251; 1759-63, 53]. The children named in the court orders were

2 i. Dinah, born say 1738.

ii. Cloe, born say 1740.

iii. Peter1, born say 1742.

3 iv. Sawney/ Sanders1, born say 1745.

4 v. Doll, born say 1748.

vi. Sarah, born say 1751, taxable on a horse in St. Ann's Parish, Albemarle County,
from 1789 to 1792: taxable on her unnamed son in 1791 [Personal Property Tax List,
1782-1799, frames 170, 221, 269, 319]. She may have been the Sally Barnett who was
head of a Richmond City household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:329].

vii. Scilla, born say 1754.

2. Dinah Burnett, born say 1738, sued her master Charles Noden in Caroline
County court on 12 June 1759 but Noden failed to appear. When the court moved on 10
September 1762 to attach his estate, Richard Woolfolk reported that he had nothing
in his hands belonging to Noden [Orders 1759-63, 91, 369]. She may have been the
mother of

i. William1, born about 1755, head of a Dobbs County, North Carolina household of 5
"other free" in 1790 [NC:137]. He may have been the William Barnett who was a Dobbs
County taxable with Thomas Davis in 1769 [SS 837 by NCGSJ XV:74]. He was twenty-
three years old in 1778 when he was listed in the Militia Returns for Dobbs County
[The North Carolinian VI:730]. He was a "Mulatto" who enlisted with the 10th
Regiment in 1780 and was said to have died without heirs [Crow, Black Experience in
Revolutionary North Carolina, 98].

5 ii. Frankly, born say 1756.

6 iii. Charles, born about 1762.

7 iv. Angela, born say 1765.

v. Edith, no age mentioned when she registered as a "Free Negro" in Campbell County
on 20 January 1802: 5 Feet 2-1/2 Inches, darkish Colour, born free [A Register of
Free Negroes and Mulattoes, p.2].

vi. Jenny, born about 1776, registered in Campbell County on 20 January 1802: Age:
25; 5 Feet 4-1/2 Inches; Colour: darkish; Where set Free: Albemarle; by Whom set
free: blank.
vii. David, taxable in Albemarle County from 1796 to 1803: called a "Free Negro" in
1803 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-99, frames 477, 585; 1800-1813, frames 23,
68, 93, 136, 156]. He married Judy Brown, 14 November 1807 Henrico County bond,
Jacob Brown surety. Jacob Brown was head of a Henrico County household of 3 "other
free" in 1810 [VA:978]. David was a "free Negro" taxable in Henrico County in 1806
[Personal Property Tax List 1782-1814, frame 482]. Perhaps Judy was the Judah
Barnett who was head of a Henrico County household of 2 "other free" in 1810
[VA:978] and 8 "free colored" in Albemarle County in 1820.

3. Sawney/ Sanders1 Burnett, born say 1745, was ordered bound out by the
churchwardens of St. Margaret's Parish in Caroline County on 12 April 1751. He
purchased 150 acres from Joseph Boon on the north side of the Neuse River in
Johnston County, North Carolina, on 10 December 1770 [Haun, Johnston County Deed
Abstracts, Tr-1:116]. He sold this land about seven years later by a deed proved in
the Johnston County court in 1777, and he sold another tract of land by deed proved
in May 1777 Johnston County court [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, II:206,
251]. He was head of a Johnston County household of 5 free males and 7 free females
in 1787 for the state census, 12 "other free" in 1790 [NC:140], 11 "other free" in
Orange County, North Carolina, in 1800 [NC:544] and 10 in 1810 [NC:956]. He may
have been the father of

i. Aaron, born before 1776, head of an Orange County household of 6 "other free" in
1810 [NC:831] and 12 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:354].

4. Doll Burnett, born say 1750, was ordered bound out by the churchwardens of
St. Margaret's Parish in Caroline County on 12 April 1751. She was living in
Johnston County, North Carolina, on 28 May 1777 when her daughter Edith was brought
before the county court to be bound out:

and the court taking the Conduct Character and Circumstances of the said Doll
Burnet into consideration & finding no just reasons to apprehend that the said
Edith would become a charge to this County, Ordered her to be returned to the care
of her said Mother again [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, II:260].

In February 1786 she bound William Burnett to William Bulls by indenture proved in
Johnston County court [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, III:306]. Doll was head
of a Johnston County household of a female and 2 males in J. Boon's list in 1787
for the state census and head of a Johnston County household of 5 "other free" in
1790 [NC:140]. Her children were

i. Edith, born say 1770, bound to Jeremiah Powell in 1782 [Haun, Johnston County
Court Minutes, III:213, 238]. She was head of a Wayne County household of 8 "free
colored" in 1820 [NC:456].

8 ii. Jesse, born say 1772.

iii. Sanders2, born about 1774, eighteen years old when he was bound an apprentice
to Nathan Powell in May 1792.

iv. Lotte, born about 1776, sixteen years old when she was bound to Nathan Powell
in May 1792.

9 v. William3, born say 1778.

10 vi. ?Rebecca, born about 1786.

11 vii. ?Patience perhaps 1790.

5. Franky, born say 1756, a free "Negroe" woman (no last name indicated), had a
child named Lucy Barnet who was born 13 June 1778 and baptized 17 June 1779 [Jones,
The Douglas Register, 348]. She was called Franky Barnett in Goochland County in
1795 when her children Roger, Tarlton and Hailey Barnett were bound to David Ross
[Orders 20:155 cited by Butler, Evolution of a Rural Free Black Community, 208].
She was counted in a list of "Free Negroes & Mulattoes" in Fluvanna County in 1813
and was taxable on a horse from to 1818 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-1826,
frames 503, 562, 584, 609]. Her children were

i. Lucy, counted in a list of "Free Negroes & Mulattoes" in Fluvanna County in

1813, taxable on a horse in 1817 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-1826, frames 503,
585].

ii. ?Roda, counted in a list of "Free Negroes & Mulattoes" in Fluvanna County in
1813 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-1826, frame 503].

iii. Roger.

iv. Tarlton, taxable in Fluvanna County in 1817 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-
1826, frames 585].

v. Hailey.

6. Charles Barnett, born about 1762, enlisted in the Revolution for 1-1/2 years
from Albemarle County, Virginia, on 18 September 1780 and was sized at Chesterfield
County court house about the same time: age 18, 5'5" high, yellow complexion, a
farmer, born in Albemarle County [Register & description of Noncommissioned
officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf
(p.61)]. He lived in Albemarle County until 1800 according to his Revolutionary War
Pension application. He was a "mulatto" who enlisted in Charlottesville in the 7th
Virginia Regiment. Sharod Going testified that he was with him at Chesterfield
Courthouse. In 1800 he moved to Carter County, Tennessee, then to Georgia, and to
Granville County, North Carolina, about 1808 [NARA, S.8048, M804,
https://www.fold3.com/image/1/11000781; Dorman, Virginia Revolutionary Pension
Applications, IV:87]. He obtained a certificate of freedom in Albemarle County on 2
August 1796: a Dark mullatto man aged about thirty years, of a yellow complexion,
five feet seven and three quarter inches high, having proved to the satisfaction of
this Court that he was born a free man within this County [Orders 1795-8, 137]. He
married Lucy Bowles, 7 September 1785 Albemarle County bond. He was bondsman for
the 12 December 1793 Albemarle County marriage of Robert Battles and Nancy Bowles.
He and his wife Lucy sued Robert Battles for trespass, assault and battery on 5 May
1796, and he and his wife Lucy sold property by deed proved in Albemarle County on
6 June 1796 [Orders 1795-8, 86, 108, 144]. He was taxable in Fredericksville
Parish, Albemarle County, from 1787 to 1791. His tax was charged to William
Clarkson in 1798. (His wife) Lucy was head of an Albemarle County household of 7
"other free" in 1810 [VA:185], a "Mulatto" taxable on a horse in 1812 and 2 free
male tithables and a horse in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 110, 149, 244, 291,
342, 382, 415, 445, 478, 530; 1800-1813, frames 518, 562]. Lucy Barnett registered
in Albemarle County on 9 March 1810: a woman of Colour...aged about forty five
years, five feet three and a half inches high, a Mulatto [Orders 1810-11, 58].
Charles was head of a "free colored" household in Granville County, North Carolina,
in 1830. According to his pension application, he was back in Albemarle County on
28 December 1840 and received his last pension payment on 4 September 1848. His
pension application file includes a 31 July 1849 letter from Thomas Pea ce of
Granville County who wrote to the Albemarle County Clerk that Charles Barnett, "a
man of color...left a widow and a parcel of children in a very distressed
condition." He may have been the father of

i. James, a "Mulatto" taxable in St. Ann's Parish, Albemarle County, in 1812 and
1813 [Personal Property Tax List, 1800-1813, frame 499, 541].

ii. Peter2, born about 1790, indicted in Albemarle County on 4 November 1811 for
stealing $200 in silver and cash notes from Vest & Watson and sent for trial in the
Superior Court [Orders 1811-13, 59-60]. He was a "Mulatto" taxable in Albemarle
County, in 1809, 1812 and 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 363, 518, 541], registered
in Albemarle County on 9 August 1815 and in Augusta County on 28 October 1823: a
free man of dark mulatto complexion [Register of Augusta County, no. 56,
http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/VoS/govdoc/fblack.early.html].

iii. Elizabeth, born about 1776, head of an Albemarle County household of 3 "other
free" in 1810 [VA:151]. She registered in Albemarle County in May 1804: aged 28
years of a dark complexion, five feet four inches high...born free [Barnett, Betty
(F, 28): Free Negro Certificate, 1804, African American Narrative Digital
Collection, LVA

iv. Elizabeth, head of an Albemarle County household of 2 "other free" in 1810

[VA:150].

v. Ally, born say 1790, the mother of Mary Barnett who registered in Fluvanna
County on January 1857: a Renewal of her Register granted by the County Court of
said County on the 24th Day of February 1834 ... about Forty years of age, about
five feet high, yellow Complexion [Order Book p.7, no. 94].

7. Angela Barnett, born day 1765, was in the Henrico County jail with Nathan Fry
and William Anthony on 7 February 1791 for a breach of the peace and were ordered
to remain there until they gave security of 40 pounds each for their good behavior
for a year. While she was in jail, the court ordered that her child be restored to
her and supported at the expense of the county [Orders 1789-91, 428]. On 29
September 1792 Angela was charged in Henrico County court with murdering a white
man named Peter Franklin. Jesse Carpenter testified that

in the night of the third instant he accompanied the deceased to the House of a
certain William Anthony in this County (with whom the prisoner lived) in search of
some runaway negroes which they suspected were harboured at the said House, and for
the taking of whom a reward was offered in the Virginia Gazette. That in their
search they apprehended a small boy at the said House, whom they carried away as a
runaway, he answering the description of one of the runaways described in the said
Advertisement. That in consequence of information received from the said Boy, they
went to the same house the following evening about eleven O'clock at night to
apprehend two other runaways, and upon knocking at the door, it was opened by the
said Will Anthony, to whom they communicated their suspicions and went in (There
being very little light in the house). That upon their entering the house, they
were abused by the prisoner in the most indecent manner, in Consequence of which
the decedent threatened the prisoner that if she persisted in her abuse, he would
correct her. That in a few minutes afterwards the prisoner was discovered by the
deceased searching behind a trunk upon which the decedent made a seeming
disposition to strike the prisoner with a small cowhide which he held in his hand.
That the deponent did not see any stroke given by the deceased to the prisoner, but
at the same instant the prisoner struck the deceased and knocked him down, upon
which the deponent caught hold of the Weapon with which the blow was given, and it
seemed to him to be a square piece of Wood, but did not get it out of the hands of
the prisoner. That in the Scuffle the deponent was pushed out of the door and as he
went out, he got hold of the deceased and dragged him out also, who appeared to be
much hurt, he complaining of being badly cut. That the deponent so soon as he could
get the deceased upon his horse conveyed him home the distance being about four
miles, in effecting which he was obliged to hold him on his horse the greater part
of the way, during which the decedent appeared out of his senses. That the said
Franklin after lingering a few days departed this life and this deponent believes
died of the said Wound given him by the prisoner [Orders 1791-4, 278-9].

The court ordered that she be sent to Richmond for trial. Angelina Barnett was
taxable in the upper district of Henrico County on the tithe of (her son?) Allen
Barnett, a slave and a horse in 1804 and taxable on Allen Barnett and a horse in
1805. Angelina was taxable on 2 lots in 1811 [Land Tax List 1799-1816 (includes
Personal Property Tax lists)]. She may have been the mother of

i. Allen, born say 1786, married Lucretia Wood, "free people of color," 7 December
1807 Henrico County bond, Elijah Wood surety. He was a "free Negro" taxable in the
upper district of Henrico County from 1806 to 1811; taxable on 30 acres in Henrico
County in 1813 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-1814, frames 482, 528, 657; Land
Tax List 1799-1816]. He was head of a Henrico County household of 10 "other free"
in 1810 [VA:996].

8. Jesse Burnett, born say 1772, was bound an apprentice to Jeremiah Powell in
Johnston County in 1782 [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes, III:238]. He was head
of a Cumberland County, North Carolina household of 9 "free colored" in 1820
[NC:208]. On 23 January 1830 he purchased 50 acres in Cumberland County on Middle
Creek between Bones Creek and Little Rockfish Creek from Absalom Hammons [DB
39:459]. He and his wife Elizabeth were mentioned in their son Needham's free
papers on 5 September 1842 in Cumberland County [Minutes 1842-44]. Their children
were

12 i. ?Betsy, born say 1807.

ii. Needham, born 20 September 1812, according to Daniel Baker, Esq., and Duncan
Gillie Rae who testified on his behalf in Cumberland County court on 5 September
1842. They stated that he was a "free man of colour" born in Cumberland County of
free parents, Jesse and Elizabeth Burnett. The 6 June 1842 Cumberland County court
permitted him to take the oath of insolvency when he was sued by Thomas B. Wooten
[Minutes 1842-44, n.p.].

iii. ?Peter3, born 6 December 1815. James Bowden testified in Cumberland County
court that Peter Burnett, born of a free mother in Duplin County, was bound
apprentice to him and completed his indenture on 6 December 1836 at the age of
twenty-one years. The 10 December 1836 court described him as being: of Slender
Frame about six feet high of a dark mulatto complexion bushy hair [Minutes 1836-8,
n.p.].

iv. David3, born say 1816, received a deed of gift from (his father?) Jesse Burnett
which was proved in Cumberland County on 8 December 1837. The 8 December 1841
Cumberland County court issued him a license to carry a gun in the county.

v. ?Calvin, born about 1825, nineteen years old on 8 March 1844 when he was bound
to John McLowin.

vi. ?Margaret, born about 1826, a sixteen-year-old "free girl of colour" bound to
George McMillan in Cumberland County on 5 December 1842.

vii. ?Sarah A., born about 1832, ten years old when she was bound to Amos Jessup on
7 December 1842.

9. William3 Burnett, born say 1778, was indentured to William Bulls by Doll
Burnett in Johnston County in February 1786 [Haun, Johnston County Court Minutes,
IV:200; III:306]. He was head of a Cumberland County, North Carolina household of 7
"other free" in 1810 [NC:608] and 10 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:152]. He may have
been the father of

i. Nathan, born about 1800, obtained free papers in Cumberland County in 1819: a
bright mulatto, born about 1800, 5'10-3/8"... and registered them in Perry County,
Mississippi in 1822 [Probate Records A:316-7].

10. Rebecca Burnett, born about 1786, was a two-year-old "mulatoe" when she and
(her younger sister?) Lid Burnet were bound apprentices to James Campbell by the
Cumberland County, North Carolina court on 31 July 1788 [Minutes 1787-91]. Rebecca
was the mother of

i. ?James, born about 1802, five-year-old "boy of Colour," bound to Michael Blocker
by the 16 September 1807 Cumberland County court [Minutes 1805-08]. He may have
been the James Burnett who owed tax on an improved lot in Fayetteville in 1821 [5
June 1822 Minutes].

ii. ?Rachel, born about 1802, a five-year-old "Mullatto" girl bound to Richard
Dudley by the 16 September 1807 Cumberland County court [Minutes 1805-08].

iii. ?Rose, a two-year-old "Mullatto" girl bound to Richard Dudley by the 16

September 1807 Cumberland County court.

iv. Jane, born about 1809. On 10 March 1838 in Cumberland County court she produced
a copy of her November 1815 Moore County indenture to Cornelius Dowd which stated
that she was about six years old. She also had a record of the completion of her
indenture in November 1829. She appeared in Cumberland County court again on 4
March 1841 when she proved to the court that she was the daughter of Rebecca
Burnett and was a free born resident of the town of Fayetteville. She was described
as being: of a dark Mulatto complexion, five feet four and a half inches high stout
in person her uper fore teeth nearly all decayed [Minutes 1835-44].

11. Patience Burnett, born say 1790, was head of a Cumberland County, North
Carolina household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:216]. She was the mother of two
"Coloured" children bound to Duncan Campbell of Cumberland County until the age of
eighteen. They were

i. Sarah, born about 1814, eleven years old on 11 March 1825 [Minutes 1823-27].

ii. Eliza, born about 1818, seven years old on 11 March 1825.
12. Betsy Burnett, born say 1807, was living in Cumberland County, North
Carolina, in December 1837 when her children were apprenticed. They were

i. William Henry, born in December 1825, twelve years old when he was bound to
Anson Bailey of Cumberland County to be a farmer on 8 September 1837 [Minutes 1836-
38].

ii. ?Louisa, born about 1827, no parent named on 8 September 1837 when she was a
ten-year-old "free girl of colour" bound to Stephen Hollingsworth. She was bound to
Alfred Jackson on 7 December 1840 [Minutes 1838-40].

iii. ?George, born about 1828, no parent named, a nine-year-old "free boy of
colour" bound to Stephen Hollingsworth to be a farmer on 8 September 1837. He was
bound to Alfred Jackson on 7 December 1837.

iv. Candie, born about 1833, a four-year-old "free girl of colour" bound to Alfred
Jackson on 7 December 1837.

v. ?Nancy, born about 1836, no parent named, bound to Alfred Jackson on 7 December
1837 [Minutes 1836-38].

Other members of the family in Virginia were

i. Susanna Burnett, born say 1743, added to Thomas John's list of tithables for
Loudoun County, Virginia, on 13 November 1759 [Orders 1757-62, 298].

ii. Michael Barnet, a "Mulatto" ordered bound by the churchwardens of Augusta

County to Peter Hog, Gentleman, on 23 August 1766, perhaps the child of Pat Barnett
whose son Thomas was ordered bound to Jacob Miller on 22 March 1768, no race
indicated [Orders 1765-7, 240; 1768, 127].

iii. William2, born say 1772, married Judith Thomason, 10 January 1793 Mecklenburg
County, Virginia bond. He was head of an Albemarle County household of 4 "other
free" in 1810 [VA:151].