WILLIAM B BARWICK FAMILY HISTORY

William B Barwick b. 1755 in NC and d. Aug 31, 1807 in Darlington, SC. William and his wife, Elizabeth Phillips, began their lives together in NC and became the founders of a Barwick dynasty. They had fifteen children including nine males who would carry forward the family name. Most of the Barwicks in Georgia and Florida are descended from the them.

William was a Revolutionary War soldier and served in the Dobbs County, NC Militia during the decade of the 1770's and 1780's. Since he served at times with his father, William, Sr. and because Colonials were not terribly careful with names, it is difficult to separate records of the service of the two Williams. The first clear record of William, Jr in the revolution is his appearnce with his father and brother, Joshua (see descendants of Allen Joseph Barwick), on the 1777 roster of Kennedy's Company of the Dobbs Militia. William Jr. probably also served as late as 1784 when either he or his father received pay as soldiers.

THE MOVE TO SOUTH CAROLINA

William and Elizabeth moved with their family and William's parents to the Cheraw Dist (later Darlington Co), SC abt 1785. William was first granted land in the Cheraw Ddist in 1786. Nathan Barwick's obit states that Nathan moved with his parents to SC when he was a boy. Since Nathan was born in 1782, the move would have occurred betw 1782 and 1786. William appeared with Elizabeth on both the 1790 and 1890 census. Their growing family is shown with precisely accurate household content on both census counts. William died Aug 31, 1807 when he made one of the deathbed wills which characterized Colonial citizens. The will was proved by affidavits of James Herron, John Register and Jame Griffin. It was sworn before John Mixon, Jr. Elizabeth continued to live in Darlington Dist, SC until her death in 1820. She waslisted as head of household on both the 1810 and 1820 census. She was dead by Aug1820 as Noel, her son, applied for letters of administration for her estate on that
date.

THE BREAKING OF THE FAMILY

A heated controversy developed between the sons of William and Elizabeth after Elizabeth's death. When William died in 1807 he left a will which directed that his property be first left to his wife and then to his seven youngest sons upon her death. Noel, born in 1798 and one of the the seven youngest sons, was names as executor of the estate. A complaint was filed on Jan 1, 1821 in the Court of Equity at Darlington Courthouse alleging that Noel had refused to abide by his father's wishes in the division of certain of the real property in the estate. John, William, Stephen, and Redden were complainants and Noel and Samuel were defendants in the action. The youngest son, Eli, born in 1804, is said to have died interstate and with no heirs by the date of filing. The widow of William is also said in the complaint to have died. A hearing was held at Darlington Courthouse on the second Mon in Feb, 1821. A writ was issued to a group of Darlington men consisting of Nathan Hanks, Richard Ingram, Moses Waters, John Beasley and James Herron. The writ directed that the group attempt to divide the land and failing such an attempt, arrange for its sale. The property was appraised on Oct 23, 1821 and subsequently sold with closing in June 1822. The buyer, Edward Woodham, paid $626, the appraisal amt for the land, in two annual installments in April 1823 and April 1824.

THE BROTHERS DIVIDE

The controversy over William's estate and the subsequent sale of his land help to explain the migration of his sons from SC in the 1820's. The young men would have felt acrimony and would have had money in their pockets. Nathan, Benjamin, William and Redden moved to SOUTH GEORGIA. (Redden later would move to ALABAMA). Noel moved to MISSISSIPPI. Stephen went to ALABAMA. The Barwick name was thus spread over at least those states. Descendants of the brothers moved to FLORIDA later in the ninteenth century.