Will Book G-433, Bourbon Co., Kentucky

In the name of God Amen. I Alexander Barnet being weak in body but of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament as follows First, my will is that my son John Barnet shall have the farms and tract of land on which I now live according to the present barn door thereof between it and the farm on which the said John Barnet now live, to him and his heirs forever, a llowing at the same line a home on it for his mother during her life. I also will that the tract of land now occupied by my son John Barnet, be sold by my executor and the money arising from the sale thereof be equally divided between my grown children, the children of my daughter Elizabeth Brown , deceased, and the children of my son John Barnet, that is to say one half to the children of Elizabeth Brown deceased and the other half to the children of John Barnet, respecting my slaves my will is that my beloved wife Dorcas, have Stephen, Reuben, Hannah and Rachael, during her natural life. that Loyd and John be bound out until they respectively atain the age of twenty five may and then be free, and that Sela be sold at private sale by my executor, that Stefna be hired out until the decease of my wife and then that he and Stephen and Reuben if they have acted as good and dutiful servants, or such of them as shall so act shall be free. As to Hannah and Rachael I leave them to be hither emancipated or retained as my wife shall think proper. I also leave my wife all my household and kitchen furniture and books, and an ____ to her and her heirs forever. All the residual of my personal estate I will to be sold and all the money ariving from the sale, all the money that can be collected on debts that are due me, I will to be equally divided between my grand children as aforesaid after paying my debts (if any there be) and the sum of two hundred dollars to Agnes Gi-y formerly the wife of my deceased son William Barnet and one hundred dollars to Leutha Ward, formerly the wife of my deceased son Robert Barnet and one hundred dollars to be applied to missionary purposes for the spread of the gospel. It is my will that in the division of the money hereby given to my grandchildren, the children of my deceased daughter Elizabeth Brown, that my grand.son Alexander Montomgery Brown shall have two hundred dollars more than his sister I also authorize and advise my Executors as soon as the money hereby devided to my grand children can be obtained to lay out the same for government lanes in the state of Indiana or Illinois or some other state of Territory whose laws do not authorise slavery, and such land so purchased shall be received as money by said devisees. Latly I appoint John Barnett and John G. Brown, executors of this my last will and testament. In testimony of all and each of the things herein contained I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty eigth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.

Alexander Barnett

Witnesses: Wm. B. Branham, Thomas Rogers and Richard Brant

Bourbon County Court December Tenn 1826 This last will and testament of Alexander Barnet deceased being proved in open court by the oath of Wm. B. Brandham, Thomas Rogers and Richard Brand testify thereto and swrn to by John Barnet, the executor therein named in orders to be recorded.

The above was transcribed by Summer Owens

Excerpt from the Obituary of Alexander L. Barnett, grandson of Dr. Alexander Barnett, April 30, 1886.

"The history of the Barnett family is an important part of the early history of DeWitt county. They came from Kentucky, and made their first home in what is now called Barnett township--being named in honor of the family. The Barnett's were of Scotch-Irish stock, and settled in Virginia in the beginning of the eighteenth century. The grandfather of Alexander L. barnett was born in virginia in 1754, and during the revolutionary War served as Regimental Surgeon in the Virginia Continentals. Dr. Barnett was an ardent admirer of the teachings of Thomas Jefferson, and he resolved that his children should not dwell on a soil tainted with slavery. He did not get to this land of freedom himself. but in his will he provided that his sons and their families should carry out his wishes. Two of Dr. Barnett's sons dies without issue, and his surviving so, John, was entrusted the carrying out of the Doctor's wishes. The Barnett family had removed from Virginia to Bourbon County, Ky., at the close of the revolutionary War, where they bought seven hundred and ten acres of land. In the Doctor's will it was provided that three hundred and twenty acres of the land should be sold and invested in free soil for the benefit of his descendants, and the remainder of the land was willed to John barnett, the father of Alexander L. and his sister's descendants in fee simple. John Barnett was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1830 he came to Illinois and bought land in this county. Robert F. Barnett, the oldest son of John, came tothis county in 1832 and settled on lands previously entered by his father. Alexander L., the third son, came from kentucky in 1831 and located in Clintonia Township, on the farm which he owned till the time of his death. John Barnett, the father of the DeWitt County Barnett's, removed to this county years after his sons came here, and spent the remaining days of his life on free soil, carrying out the wishes of the old revolutionary war hero, Dr. Alexander Barnett. So intensely opposed were the elder Barnett's to the institution of slavery that they made no effort to bring slaves to this State, although under the existing laws at the time they could have done so."

An email from Allan Barnett, Sunday November 14, 2004.

"I have acquired Lulu Barnett's DAR application for membership. Her dad is George Alexander Barnett (b. 1855) and mother Sarah Josephine Kirby (b.1859). George A. Barnett's parents are James Barnett (b. 1819) and Elizabeth Irvin (b. 1827). James Barnett's parents are John Barnett andSallie Kenney. John's Dad is Dr. Alexander Barnett. This has the summery of Alexander's service during the American Revolution. I have attached a scan copy but I will type it here as the photo copy of this is only some what readable. If anyone wants the whole thing, just let me know and I will scan all the pages for you. Also I would like to make note here that LT. Col. Henderson was Alexander's wife's (Dorcas Long) sister's (Elizabeth Long) husband. Also noted by hand writing that the service was verified by certificate from the War Department. Ancestor's Service: Private in Captain Hanry Hampton's company in the 6th Regiment of the South Carolina troops, on Continental Establishment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel William Henderson Revolutionary War. December 1779 transferred to the 8th Company of the 1st Regiment. In Garrison at the siege of Charleston in 1780. Horseman in Captain Joseph Vince's company of the South Carolina Malitia, April to June 1781. The following references were provided: Historical Commission of S.C. for Militia duty. War Department, Washington D.C., for service in the Continentals. References to show line of descent are Published History of DeWitt County,Illinois"