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What we know about William Henry Barlow (Barlar)

Timeline:

• 1822 / '23: He was born BarLOW - not Barlar, in North Carolina.

• When and why he went to Lawrence County and Giles County, TN., is not yet known.

• 1845 Marriage: Married to Eliza Osburn on April 1, 1945 in Lawrence County, TN. Eliza's family had also come from North Carolina and were living in Lawrence Co., TN. See original marriage document here.

• 1850 Federal Census: No confirmed listing has been found for him in this census year.

• 1850 - 1853: William Henry's life with Susan Frances Phillips would have been established before the birth of their first child, Mary (b: 1854), but after 1850 since Susan Frances was listed as still living in her father's house in the 1850 federal census report for Giles County.

• 1860 Federal Census for Giles County (Bodenham District): William Henry was listed as BarLAR. He was living with Susan Frances and their children in Bodenham.

• 1870 Federal Census: No listing for this year has yet been found. It is safe to assume, however, that in 1870, he was living in Brick Church, TN, since his youngest child was born there in October of that same year.

• 1880 Federal Census for Giles County (Dist 19): He was listed as BarLAR and was living in Campbellsville. See Giles County District Map from 1878.

• 1883: According to the 1883 Pulaski Citizen newspaper article, he was once again living in Brick Church.

• 1897 (March): His death and burial took place in Brick Church, TN.

Go here for more details.

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William Henry Barlow's Birth / Death / Marriage:

• His date of birth has been calculated by his age as it was listed in the census reports and his obituary, which places it in 1822 or 1823.

• His place of birth has most consistently been listed as North Carolina.

• The names of his parents have not been clearly established, although it is likely his father was John Barlow (b: 1784/1795 / d: 1860/1870) from Virginia and/or North Carolina. Information about his mother has not yet been found.

• The birth place of his parents has most consistently been listed as North Carolina.

• The date of his marriage to Susan Frances Phillips is estimated to have been between 1850-1853. In the 1850 Federal Census, Susan was listed as still living in her father's household.

• Family lore says that prior to his marriage to Susan Frances Phillips, William Henry was married to someone else and had already fathered a child. We have, in fact, found a record of a marriage that did take place between William Barlow and Eliza Osburn in April 1845 in Lawrence County, TN. No subsequent record of their divorce has been found, and there is no supporting record that they had a child. Attempts to learn the circumstances surrounding William Henry's marriage to Eliza Osburn are ongoing, as well as attempts to find a record of their divorce and whether there were any children from that marriage.

• In January 1858, thirteen years after the marriage to William Barlow, the same Eliza Osburn (Barlow) married Charles P. Barlow, whose relationship to William Henry may have been half-brother. In March 1857, 10-months prior to her marriage to Charles P. Barlow, Eliza had a daughter named Elvira 'Kansas' Barlow. Records list C.P. Barlow as the father.

• According to census records, William Henry was unable to read and/or write. He was also listed as deaf.

• William Henry's death occurred in March 1897 in Brick Church, Tennessee. The listed cause was "La Grippe" (influenza).

• The location of William Henry's grave site is in Brick Church, Tennessee, in the Marsh-Haywood Cemetery.

Click here for further details about his burial.