DESCENDANTS OF REUBEN BARRETT OF SOUTH CAROLINA
1820 ~ 1894
Hulda Reding was born 20 August 1820 in Davidson County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Iredell Reding born 7 Oct 1791 in Randolph County, North Carolina, and Martha "Patsy" Hallum, born 16 March 1799 in Davidson County. She was named after her Father's sister, who was also Hulda. Her parents were married in the same county. Iredell was elected Justice of Peace there in 1817. He and his wife had four children , Hulda , Nancy Ann, and George W. were born in Davidson, TN before moving to Fayette Co.,TN and a last child was born James A. Reding.
David Barrett moved his family from Greenville District, South Carolina, to Fayette County, Tennessee, in 1826, and settled in Civil District 15, the same district that the Redings lived in. John Whitten Barrett and his sisters were most likely friends with the Reding children, Huldy was only a year older than Polly Barrett. Huldy's father was active in civic affairs and owned stock in the first railroad to come through Tennesse. Her mother died in 1826, and she was raised by her stepmother a widow herself, Nancy Brooks Mayfield. Her Father and stepmother had two more children, William Monroe and Elizabeth. The Redings and Barretts lived in close proximity for the next ten years.
Hulda's father decided to go to Texas right after she had won her Independence from Mexico as did a lot of families. It must have been hard for Hulda to leave her Mother buried there; back then once you left a state it wasn't often that a person went back to see relatives much less visit a grave.
They went by wagon train at the end of 1836. Hulda was about 16 years old. A member of the train was a young man by the name of John Whitten Barrett, he had been their neighbor in Tennessee and their fathers were friends. It took several months for them to reach Texas, and although there have never been any letters or accounts of the trip found, it is no doubt that John courted Hulda during this trip. One can just imagine the moonlight walks across the prairie or the two of them sitting by the camp fire talking or the teasing Hulda endured from her young siblings over John.
When the wagon train reached Crockett, Texas, Hulda and John were married by Reverand Tate there on Febuary 7, 1837. They lived in the area of Mustang Prairie in Houston County, Texas, until 1839, and then they moved to Montgomery county with Hulda's parents. They lived in the vicinity of Danville, and Iredell deeded land to his daughter Hulda as her share of his estate. Walker County would later be formed from Montgomery County, and then Madison County from Walker.
During the year of 1838, there were many Indian uprisings in the Houton County, the early settlers including the Redings went to live in Hallmark's Fort until the Indians could be put under control.
In 1840 Hulda and John had their first child, Stephen Reding Barrett in the fall. John had bought a family bible and made notes every time a child was born, married or died. This birth was the third entry in this bible after his and Hulda's birthdates. At this time, they were living in the Danville area of Montgomery County, near Iredell and Nancy Reding.
Two years later a second son was born in 1842 and Hulda named him,William Robert. With two sons and a store and a husband, Hulda probabley didn't have much time to do much of anything but take care of her daily chores. Then three years later in 1845, Hulda gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, can't you imagine how her big brothers loved her and Hulda spoiled her and dressed her in lace. I am sure she was the pride of her Daddy too. They named her Nancy Elizabeth but called her Ann. She was given her grandmothers name, John's mother. By this time Hulda's father-in-law David had died, and his mother remained in Houston County. She was married to her neighbor, Barton Clark, and died there in 1855. Her death was entered in John's Bible as "my mother, Elizabeth Clark."
When Ann was two years old in 1847, Hulda had another daughter, Martha Elizabeth; she was called "Mattie", named for her own mother who had died in Tennessee in 1826 when she was only six. By 1849 Hulda had, a nine year old, a a seven year old, a four year old, and a 2 year old, that would keep the best of Mom's on the edge, and then on the second of May, Hulda got a big surprise, twins, Amanda Catherine and David Albert, David of course was named for John's father. These twins were born in Montgomery County, according to the notes Amanda later made in her own Bible.
Amanda's mother called her Manda, and it stayed with her all her life.
By 1850, the family was enumerated in Walker County and had apparently moved to the part of Walker that would soon become Madison County, and John's occupation was given as merchant.Their home was located near Elwood and Midway Communities on the Old San Antonio Road a major thoughway to San Antonio. Hulda's home became an Inn for travelers who came on the stagecoach. John and Hulda owned a drygoods store in Madisonville, and John farmed and they sold their products, such as eggs and butter, and John sold livestock.
In 1851 another son, Jonathan Collard was born, the twins were two years old and the older girls were old enough to help with the younger ones. In 1854 yet another son, Thomas was born. He only lived for 8 months and 17 days according to Johns Bible. He was laid to rest in the Cemetery there in Midway. How heartbreaking it must have been for Hulda to lose a child at such a young age.
One year later in 1855 Hulda gave birth to another son, Luther Monroe.
By this time the older boys were helping in the store, William worked there and kept journals of all the goings on in Madison county, and kept the books for the store. Another loss was felt greatly for John by Hulda, John's mother had died in October in Houston County. She had remarried to a Mr. Clark.
In 1857 Hulda's oldest son, Stephen married Sarah Larrison who was affectionatly called "Sallie". The young couple lived next to his parents for the next few years. Hulda's husband farmed as did her son, to support his new bride. A year after Stephen was married in 1858, Hulda had another child, Sarah Alice Iantha, Before Sarah was a year old, Hulda became a grandmother at the age of 39 years old. Her first grandson was named Jonathan Daniel by his parents, Stephen and Sallie. In 1860, Hulda, a grandmother and mother of 10 children already, had her last child, James Silas D. Barrett.
In 1861, Ann married John Jenkins, and started a new life with him, a war had broke out between the states and so many young men were voluteering to fight for the south and all they believed in. The wives and mothers could do nothing but watch their husbands and sons go. William, Hulda's second oldest who had been so much help at the store, enlisted in the Civil War. He was still unmarried and he wrote often to his parents. Stephen, married with one child and another on the way, decided to volunteer in 1862. He assured his wife and mother that he would be back, but in December of 1863 Sallie received word that her husband had died in the service; he didn't die in battle but of Typoid fever, and Sallie had just given birth to Stephen's second child in April, Stephen Franklin. His father never even got to see and hold his child who was named for him.
Now Hulda had lost two children, but life had to go on. The army buried her son in Louisiana so she wasn't able to say her last good-byes and never knew where they had buried her flesh and blood. A heartbeat that she once shared was gone forever. Now with the older boys gone and not there to help with the store, Hulda's life was very busy.
A short five months later in May, Hulda's beloved father passed away in Montgomery Co. How much could one heart bear at one time. She no doubt was still in mourning for her first born and now went into mourning for her father. In August another sign, that the One above takes but he also gives was shown, when Hulda's daughter, Ann gave her another grandchild, Ann and and John Jenkins named their first son John.
Hulda was still recieving reassuring letters from her second oldest son William from the war, that he was fine and was living in a house and working as a messenger and had plenty to eat, but needed some clothing and his horse. In 1865 William was home and helping once again in the store, He married Elizabeth Walters on Valentines day of the year 1866, he must have been a romantic. In November of that year Ann and John gave Hulda another grandson, this time Thomas, named for her baby brother who had died.
So far Hulda had all grandsons, 4 of them. I866 came and William and Elizabeth bore another grandson, William Seymour. All her children who had married settled in Madison County near her. So she must have had a close relationship with all her adult children and her grandsons.
In 1868, no one was born, no one died, no one went away to war, this was the only year in Hulda's life that something life changing didn't happen. But in 1869 her children made up for it and she got two new sons-in-law and a new grandchild. Mattie married William Bobo, somewhat of a rogue, but Mattie loved him and I am sure Hulda accepted him. His family was from Louisiana and had settled in Madison county several years before, they were once a wealty family but had all their money in Confederate dollars and almost went broke.
The Bobo family were a rough lot, but back in those days it was called survival. That same year Mattie gave birth to a son, Asie Bobo, another grandson for Huldy to add to her brood. Amanda Catherine "Manda" also was married that year, to a returning soldier James McCann. One by one Hulda's children were marrying and leaving home.
When 1870 showed its seasons, Hulda was given yet two more grandsons, William and Elizabeth had John, and Manda and James had James Littleton in May. Another year came and went and in 1871 Hulda's son Jonathan Collard married Martha Shepard and Mattie had another son, Robert Bobo. Hulda now had 9 grandsons; what a racket those boys must have made when they came to visit grandma. I can just see her giving them peppermint sticks when they visited her at the store.
Finally in 1872 Manda gave Hulda her first granddaughter, and of course the only fitting name for a little angel would be, Hulda McCann, she was born on November 16. And we can only imagine the joy and pride that Hulda had for this newest little Barrett girl descendant who would someday herself need all the courage and faith that the other women of this family had learned too and must possess. When little Hulda was but a year old, two more granddaughters came. William and Elizabeth brought into this family Florence; and Ann had Ophilia, and Mattie also had another son, Bill Dugan. !873 was a busy year for the Barrett women as far as having children.
In 1874 Hulda's son Luther Monroe married Sarah L. Laney and resided in Madison county, This Barrett clan was becoming the largest family in Madison County fast. In 1875 William and Elizabeth produced another grandson, Johnston Tolephus, Manda and James had Samuel Woolridge in Febuary. Mattie and Bill, although Bill had been arrested in Madison county for cattle rustling and Mattie broke him out of jail, she had another child who died at birth, so Hulda put on her mourning clothes once again and they buried the unnamed child. Mattie and Bill went away to hide out in Brown county, the authorities thought they had gone to another state.
Hulda most likely worried about her daughter and grandsons. But she understood the love that a woman can have for a man, as she had been with her John for 38 years now. Dailey they had worked together to make a comftorable life and watched their children born and grow and marry and watched their grandchildren come into the world sometimes three at a time. They had loved, laughed, grieved and cried together many times in the last 38 years since they were young kids on that wagon train coming to Texas to build a new life in a new country. Despite the hardships, the Indian attacks, the losses they had stayed together and always knew they had each other to lean on. John most probabley knew the strength and courage Hulda possessed and they fed off of each other's love for the other.
In 1876 Hulda attended another wedding, David Albert married Martha Tolbert and Jonathan and Martha had their first child that year, Ada Mae Barrett as she was named.
The next year was a year filled with sadness and joy both, In March Amanda had another child, a grandson for Hulda and John, Kenneth Nathan was his name, and her son Luther divorced his wife Sarah Laney. This was the first divorce in the family.
And then in May, Hulda's husband of 40 years passed away, the one person that she had leaned on for more than half of her life was gone. The grief she must have felt, to no longer have that person beside her everyday. Hulda and John had worked together all these years to make a comftorable life for themselves, and were considered wealty and owned alot of real estate in Madison County, but nothing could replace the warm touch of his hand.
The next month in June Luther remarried to Sarah Adams, a local girl whose family had gone to the city in Houston and returned when the depressed times got bad to farm on their land, and Hulda gave them a piece of land from theirs to live and start their family.
Mattie and Bill had twins that year, two girls, Mattie and Lucy; and in December of that year William and Elizabeth had a son Hugh Hayes and David and Martha had their first child, William Anthony. So although God had taken her husband home, he had given her a new daughter-in-law and 5 new grandchildren to keep her busy. Hulda now had 22 grandchildren and only one daughter left at home unmarried. Sarah Alice would marry the next year in 1878 to "Buck" Manning and Manda and James had another child, Minnie Ola.
Sometime during this time after John's death a man was travelling thru Madison County with his young son, Johnathan *Withers. The man became ill and died, possibly at the home of Huldy as this is where most visitors passing through stayed. He was buried in Larrison Cemetery and Hulda went to court and adopted the Young Withers boy.
1879 would prove a prosperous year in the grandchild department, as the tally went up to 28, and each one no doubt were bounced on Hulda's knee one or maybe even two at a time. Amanda Annis was born to David and Martha, Martie was born to Ann and John, Annette was born to Mattie and Bill, Martha Elizabeth to David and Martha, James Walter to Jonathan and Martha and Sarah and Buck had their first child, John Iredell Manning, named for Hulda's beloved father.
All the Barrett women were always with child at the same time, and one can imagine what holidays were like in the Barrett household with 20 adults and 28 children together with their one grandmother who had brought all these people into the world of the Barrett clan of Madison County. She had learned courage from her mother-in-law and refined it with her husband, now she just sat back and looked with joy on this sight before her. Watching the love between her children and their spouses and the grandchildren they had given her. Hulda was 59 years old now, and had had a good life, full of wonder and surprise and wealth, not just the monetary wealth but the wealth of the love she recieved from her offspring.
When the new year arrived of 1881, another set of twins came into the family, Jonathan Collard and his wife had Samuel and Walter in Sept, that same month David and Martha had Connard and the month before Sarah Alice and Buck had their second child and named her Hulda A. Manning.
1882 Hulda's first granson was married, Stephen Franklin, the son of her oldest who had died in the war was married to Molly Bobo, Mattie's sister in law. Molly had a love for her grandson that she had rarely seen, like the love that remminded her of the feeling she had for her dear John. William and Elizabeth had another child, Henry. 1883 produced three more grandchildren and Hulda's first great-grandson Steven Robert. James Silas and wife, Clara Manning had a baby finally, a boy , Silas Clarence, she was 17 years old and died in childbirth. Clara was the first Barrett woman to die in childbirth, and at such a young age when her whole life was ahead of her.
David's wife had Robert in November and Luther and Sarah had their first child Minnie and her grandson Jonathan married a little local girl that he had been in love with for many years, Mattie Carson, they took off to Del Rio and nine months later Mattie Carson Barrett died 3 days after giving birth to Hulda's great-grandaughter, Jonathan put the baby in a shoebox, saddled his horse after he buried his new bride, and rode by horseback with the baby girl back to Madison County, to his mother's house.
In 1884 yet another tragedy would befall this now aging mother, grandmother and great grandmother, her grandson Henry would die that year at only two years old. in September, that same month Mattie had a son, Charles and in November Manda gave birth to William Walker. Earlier that year Jonathan and Martha had Hubert Reding and Sarah Alice had James in the first month of that year.
In 1885 at age 65, Hulda had two more grandchildren, Maude Elizabeth and Martha V, that made the tally 44 grandchildren and two great grandsons and in August of that year a great great grandson was born to Stephen Franklin and Molly Bobo Barrett, William John. In the next 8 years between 1886 and 1893 Hulda was given 18 more grandchildren, and two more great-granddaughters, one of the great grandaughters, Maggie McCann was born in Dec of 1891 and died two months later in Feb of 1892.
Hulda would have 62 grandchildren before 1894., and 1894 was a year that she needed every bit of strength and courage she could have, but in January 8 days into the new year, Hulda went to join her beloved John, leaving a legacy so great on this earth, that her blood would be carried on for many many generations.
Hulda lived with her daughter Sarah and her husband J.B. Manning affectionatley called "Buck". A great Pneaumonia epidemic hit Madison County. Hulda passed away on Monday and then on Wednesday her son in law Buck, died. As she looked down from heaven she saw her son Luther die of the pneumonia epidemic two days after her death on the 10th. Buck's wife was sick with pneumonia as was Luthur's wife who has just given birth to a baby. One month after Hulda and Luther died, Jonathan Collard died, as well as one of Luther's babies. Mattie's husband was killed in that year. That year five members of this huge legacy of Hulda Barrett's met their makers and in Febuary, Sarah Alice gave birth to to Exa and two more great-grandchildren were born, and life went on with the birth of yet another.......
After the death of Hulda's husband John, Hulda adopted James W. Withers b. 9 May 1873 in Madison Co., TX. He married Rosa Vaughn b. 1875 in Madison Co., Tx