Rev. Joseph Royal Barnett

Minister of Cedar Spring Baptist Church. (A General History of the Baptist Denomination in America, and Other Parts of the World by David Benedict. Published by Printed by Lincoln & Edmands, no. 53, Cornhill, for the author, 1813)

JoRoyall Barnett, a Revolutionary War Soldier who served in the Militia from Spartanburg, SC. DAR Ancestor #: A132448

Agnes Glenn and her sister Jane (Jean) married brothers, Joseph Royal "Joroyal" and Micajah Cicero BARNETT. The Barnett brothers were Revolutionary War veterans and became pioneering anti-slavery ministers. They moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina. Agnes Glenn Barnett lived into her 90's, and died in Spartanburg, SC. Had 11 children

Her husband is buried in Barnett Cemetery, which is in Camp Croft State Park in Spartanburg County. There is no grave marker for Agnes, but she is probably buried there beside her husband. Evidently the original stone for Joseph Royal Barnett was stolen. A new stone was dedicated in 1997. His new stone reads: "Joseph Royal Barnett Pvt SC Militia Rev War Oct 10, 1758 - Jun 6, 1812. (see http://www.alaska.net/~ebarnett/family/barnettcem.html for photos of the graves and an account of the dedication ceremony) DEDICATION OF HEAD STONES AT BARNETT CEMETERY

On the afternoon of August 2nd, 1997, a number of the descendants of Micajah and Joroyal gathered together at the Barnett Cemetery in Camp Croft to dedicate these stones; this followed the annual Reunion of those descendants at Quincy's, on Reidville Road, near Spartanburg. At the dedication service, a memorial to these two ancestors was delivered by Rev. Joel H. Fisher, husband of Lorene B. Fisher. The following is a copy of his remarks (with minimum editing):

"We are gathered here today, August 2nd, 1997, to honor the memory of two of our ancestors: Rev. Joroyal Barnett, born October 10, 1758, in Virginia, died June 6, 1812, in South Carolina, and Rev. Micajah C. Barnett, Sr., born May 13, 1760, also in Virginia, and died on January 9, 1837, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. "These two brothers were sons of a Spartanburg County pioneer family - that of Joseph Barnett (born 1731, died 1802) & Lucy Wade Barnett, from Goochland County, Virginia. We are standing in Joseph & Lucy Barnett family cemetery for this ceremony. "I'd like to say a few words remembering and honoring Rev. Joroyal Barnett. He married Agnes GLENN, who was born about 1757-60, in Virginia, and died in 1852, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, well into her 90s. They had 11 children." 

Joroyal was a charter member of Cedar Springs Baptist Church. He held these offices there: Association Messenger, Church Clerk, Ordained Elder, Deacon, & Ordained Minister. He was their 'beloved minister' when he died 1812 of a colic disorder.

"Historian John R. Logan said of him, quote, 'Elder Joroyal Barnett was a member of the Cedar Springs (Baptist) church and was one of the pioneer ministers of the Broad River Association. In 1811, he was chosen Moderator of the body which is evidence of his high and respectable standing in the Association at that day and time.' End of quote.

"On 22 March, 1812, Elias Stone, Ordinary of Spartanburg District, South Carolina, certified that he had publicly read the citation to Administer on the Estate of the Rev'd Joroyal Barnett, deceased. He read that 'at a meeting of the Methodist. denomination in about a mile of the house of the deceased on the 22nd of March, 1812.' (Estate file #432). We assume this was at Antioch Methodist church. I suppose Elias Stone was a Methodist and that's why the citation wasn't read at Cedar Springs, and the Methodist Church was only about 1 mile from JoRoyal's residence. Perhaps old Cedar Springs Baptist was about two miles from his house. We can only speculate.

"We do not know positively if Joroyal is buried here, but we are pretty safe in assuming that he is. His father died 10 years prior to Joroyal and he is buried here and his stone survives. "Joroyal's military service came before his ministry. I chose to mention it last. "I ordered a copy of Joroyal's Revolutionary War service record - three pages arrived with very little data. He served in Roebuck's Regiment in the militia 'since the fall of Charleston' and was paid on June 30, 1786. We regret we do not know any particulars of his service. Bobby G. Moss records him in his Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution. His account # is AA297.

Joroyal died 185 years ago. He lived only 53 & 3/4 years. His descendants number in the thousands. He has left us a legacy well worth emulation.

Rev. Micajah Cicero Barnett, Sr., was born on May 13, 1760, in Goochland County, Virginia. He died on January 9, 1837, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. He was married twice - first to a lady whose name was Jean or Jene GLENN (she was a sister of Agnes Glenn Barnett. Agnes and Jean/jene were daughters of Tyree and Sarah SHELTON GLENN. Jean/Jenn were baptized on 25 June 1764, per Douglas Register. She died 17 December 1812 and is buried in the Barnett Cemetery), and second to Frances White, born on October 4, 1776, in South Carolina, died on April 23, 1852, aged 75 years, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. "Micajah administered the estate of his mother Lucy on 15 May, 1812. Interesting and sad. We also note that Micajah's first wife Jene and three of Micajah and Jene's daughters died between November 1812 and January, 1813. Maybe they died from an epidemic. Joroyal died in June of 1812, so this was a terrible time in the lives of our ancestors' families. "Micajah remarried to Frances White James, widow of Charles James, who had two small children. She was a daughter of Henry and Frances White of Spartanburg District, South Carolina. Jene had 10 children and Frances had two children by Micajah. Frances brought two with her from her first marriage. This made fourteen children. Some of the oldest ones were married by the time of his second marriage. "Micajah was a minister also. I was hoping Billy Barnett could put together the memorial for Micajah, but he did not think he would be here or be able to do it. I do not know where he preached. Micajah, in his will, referred to himself as a planter. We know he owned a large amount of land in Spartanburg County. In 1796 he bought 200 acres on the south side of Pacolet River for 20 lbs. sterling. In 1808 he bought 130 acres on Thomson's Branch of Kelsey's Creek. There are other transactions. "He was a successful farmer. He owned several slaves and requested that they not be sold but be distributed among his children. He was a considerate master. He probably inherited a slave from his father as he had five at his death in 1802. "One of the biggest thrills to us Barnetts came when the family Bible of Joseph and Lucy Barnett was located in Virginia. The owner is Pamela Reid, 4265 Berwick Place, Woodbridge, VA 22192. This Bible record gives Joseph and Lucy's children's names and dates. Then we find Micajah's children's names and dates by his first wife Jene. And lastly we find William (born 1768) & Sarah Foster's children & dates given. This is a goldmine! We already had a copy of Micajah's Bible so we feel very lucky to have access to this new record. "Micajah's Revolutionary War papers were lacking information also. He served in Col. Benjamin Roebuck's Regiment "since the fall of Charleston", May, 1780. Account #AA299. I assume he and Joroyal served together. Bobby Moss also lists him as a Patriot in his book.

There were fourteen Barnetts listed from South Carolina. We can be proud of the military service he gave to his country. This was a sacrifice. He left the comfort and safety of his home to risk his life. You are here today to honor his Courage and your good name. You are a credit to this fine old name. The majority of you here today descend from this man."

This concluded the remarks of Rev. Fisher at the Dedication Service.

Those remarks were written by Rev. Fisher's wife, Lorene B. Fisher, a fifth great-granddaughter of Rev. Joroyal Barnett.

Links

• http://objgenealogy.com/indii310.html

  ---

GEDCOM Note

Our JOSEPH BARNETT (b.1731) and wife Lucy WADE were in Goochland Co., VA when the births of their sons Joroyall b.1758 and Micajah BARNETT b. 1760 were recorded in the Douglas Register. The next place we find Joseph and his son JOROYALL BARNETT was in 1 Surry Co., NC when they and James BLACKWELL witnessed the will of JAMES GLEN. Joseph BaRNETT was in Craven Dist, SC (later Spartanburg Co) in 1780. Micajah married Jene GLEN, daughter of Tyree GLEN of Surry Co - we can prove this thru the Douglas Register and a Bible record giving us the birth of Jene Glen RNETT. We know Tyree GLEN left children Susannah (married John BLACKWELL), Jene, Agnes, Jeremiah and Thomas. Joroyall's wife was named Agnes. We would like to prove or disprove that Jene Glen's sister AGNES GLEN married JOROYALL BARNETT. Joroyall and Agnes have several grandchildren named STARLING WILLIS BARNETT and I have wondered if that could be a BLACKWELL name, and if Agnes could have been a BLACKWELL.

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jun 5 2024, 18:08:05 UTC

  ---

  
  

Name Rev Joseph Royal Barnett
Birth Date 10 Oct 1758
Birth Place Goochland County, Virginia, United States of America
Death Date 6 Jun 1812
Death Place Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States of America
Cemetery Cedar Spring Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States of America
Has Bio? N
Father Joseph Barnett
Mother Lucy Barnett
Spouse Agnes Barnett
URL https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40359368/joseph-royal-barnett