Transcribed by Coralynn Brown

The Barnhart family is of German ancestry, their home being in Hanover. The time of coming to this country has not been determined by genealogists, as far as known.

(I) Henry Barnhart was living in Hoosick, Albany county, N.Y. in 1790, when the first federal census was taken, and apparently he was the first of the name in this country. According to family tradition he was a German. He had three males over sixtee, two under that age, and two females in his family. David, Joseph and Jacob, of the same town, were also heads of young families, and undoubtedly his sons. George, mentioned below, must have been a son also, but was in Canada at this time.

(II) George, son of Henry Barnhart, lived, according to tradition, on the Delaware river, in Ulster county, N.Y. David and Henry, his brothers, fought for the colonies in the revolution, but George was a loyalist and fought under Generals Brant and Johnson.
The following records is taken from the "Report of the Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario, Canada":

"Claim of Geo. Barnhart, late of Ulster Co., Claimt, appears, says he was at Saut de Rocollects in ye Fall '83. Is a native of Amer., lived in Ulster Co., joined Sr. John's Regoment in the year '80. Was in the Indian Co. & served with Capt. Brant. He had been imprisoned for assisting Col. Butler before that time. He served in Sr. John's and Battl. till end of War, was Sergeant.
Produces a Petition of his in '78 to ye Comrs. at Pughkepsie, praying to be released, on the back of which they return for ansr. an acct. of the crimes with which he is charged.
He had a Lease of 180 acres on the Delaware, he took this Lease in 1770 of Wm. Cockburn, who acted for Van Plank, it was leased for 2 lives, Claimt. & his sons, at 5 pounds per Ann. 25 or 30 acres clear when he took it, he cleared a great Deal more, 70 acres more. He lived on this farm, built house & Barn.
N. 2 - Had another Lease Farm of 170 acres for 2 Lives near the former. Claimt. bought the Improvements in '73, gave a span of horses & 30 pounds York Cur., 6 or 8 acres clear. He put a man upon it who cleared more. Claimt. was to have 1/2 the Profits.
No. 3 - Had anohter Lease Farm 80 acres, bought the Improvement in '75 . The War had begun, paid 30 pounds for it, about 10 acres then clear. Had a large Stock on the Farm where he lived, 9 horses, 28 horned Cattle, 44 Sheep, 50 or 60 Hogs, Flour & Grain of various kinds, Wool, Deer Skins, Leather, furniture utensils. These things were seized & sold at Vendue. They were sold while Clamt. was a Prisoner in the country."
From same records:
"Jacob Kairn, Wits.: Knew Claimt., he was a neighbor of Witness's on the Delaware. He was always considered very loyal. He left home in 1778, first served with Capt. Brant, came afterwards into Canada & served in Sir John's Regiment . . . He had a very good stock . . . some was destroyed by the Rebels. . . . Claimt. was in very good Circumstances . . . He was the richest man there about except Mr. Burch."

In 1780, George Barnhart located at Cornwall, Canada, and died there in 1811. In 1795 he leased Barnhart Island of the St. Regis Indians for nine hundred and ninety-nine years at an annual rental of thirty dollars. Ten years later the Indians became dissatisfied and insisted upon a larger rental. Accordingly, a new lease was made for sixty dollars a year. It was customary for the British government to grant patents upon the issue of such leases, and would doubtless have done so in this case if application had been made. The title would then have been secure. This beautiful island lies near the head of St. Francis Lake, very near the Canadian shore, and much of it is north of the boundary - the forty-fifth degree of longitude. From the situation it was regarded as a British possession and its inhabitants were treated as British subjects until after the treaty of Ghent, when the island was assigned to the United States as an offset, or half of Grand Island at the outlet of Lake Ontario.
He had three sons:
William George (mentioned below), Jacob, John.

(III) William George, son of George Barnhart, was born about 1780, in Ulster county, N.Y. and died in 1872. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-nine years. He was the first settler on Barnhart Island, locating there in 1804, and followed soon by his brothers and other settlers to whom rights in land were transferred. They erected a saw mill on the north shore, where the channel of the river was narrow, and a few years later built a grist mill and woolen factory at the same point. These mills were the first in that section and were largely patronized by the settlers in New York and Canada. In 1823 this island, with others, was purchased from the state by David A. and Governeur Ogden, upon their representation that it was unoccupied and they notifed the settlers to leave. The state formally ejected the settlers in compliance with the grant, but in 1849 the legislature referred the claims of the Barnharts and others for damages to a commission consisting of Bishop Perkins, George Redington and John Fine. The sum of $6,597 was awarded to the following claimants: George and Jacob Barnhart, George Robertson, George Gollinger and George Shetzmyer. These amounts were unsatisfactory and a few years later an additional award was made. The Barnharts remained on the island and continued to improve it. In 1832 the mills of the Barnharts were swept away by an ice freshet. The saw mill was rebulit, but was again destroyed about 1850. In 1830 Seth Fenton opened a store on the island and conducted it several years. Others in trade were E. Miner, George W. Campbell and James Averill. The store building was later used as a farm house. In 1846 A. J. Barnhart opened a store on the east end of the island and conducted in many years.

In 1816 the Barnharts erected a two-story building in the northern part of the island, designed for a school house and Episcopal chapel, and it is still (1910) used for this purpose. Church services were held by visiting clergymen, without forming a society. All Saints Mission was formed April 12, 1876, with thirty-five communicants, by Rev. Mr. Goss, of St. John's Church, Massena, under the diocese of Albany. Daniel Barnhart was senior warden; W.D. Sheldon, junior warden and clerk, and James D. Barnhart vestryman and treasurer. The island is fertile and the inhabitants have been generally prosperous. Jacob and William George bought the rights or claims of the Ogdens, John went to Toronto, where he died.
William George Barnhart married Mary Gray, of Salem, New York.
Children:
1. William George, mentioned below.
2. Asaph J., born Oct. 12, 1812; married, in 1846, Catherine, daughter of Austin and Sophia (French) Shearer; (second) Marcia M. King, of Nashua, New Hampshire; children of first wife: Mary, Catherine and Francis A.
3. David.
4. Alpheus.
5. Daniel.
6. Amerilla.
7. Olive.
8. Jane.
9. Maria.
10. Caroline.

(IV) William George (2), son of William George (1) Barnhart, was born on Barnhart's Island in April 1809, and died there in 1872. He was educated in the old school building erected by his brothers. William George, Jacob and John, and followed farming on the homestead all his active life. He owned about seven hundred acres of land on the island. He was president of the county agricultural society several years, took many premiums at exhibitions, was a leading farmer, also a merchant and contractor.
In religion he was an Episcopalian. From 1850 to 1854 he attended the sessions of the legislature at Albany and prosecuted the claims for damages done his family by the state, and was eventually successful.
He married Catherine Marsh, born at Barnhart's Island in 1889, daughter of Abraham and Catherine (French) Marsh.
Children:
1. Robert, died young.
2. William Norman, deceased; children: Norman, Arthur, Samuel L., Robert, Harvey, Paul J., Frederick, Adelaide and Mary.
3. George, deceased.
4. Adalaide O., married Dr. Harvey D. Thatcher, of Potsdam.
5. James D., still (1910) lives on the Island.
6. Samuel L., mentioned below.
7. Harvey P., married Mrs. Albert Mason, widow, and has children: Harold Thatcher and Ethel.

(V) Samuel Lindsey, son of William George (2) Barnhart, was born July 27, 1845, at Barnhart's Island. He was educated at the school on the island and at St. Lawrence Academy, Potsdam. He was clerk for a time in the general store of Sanford & Morgan, of Potsdam. After three years and a half he embarked in business in 1865, in partnership with Mr. Mogan, as general merchants at Potsdam, under the firm name of W.W. Morgan & Company. The firm dealt in groceries, hardward, dry goods and other staples, and continued in business until 1871, when Mr. Barnhart returned to Barnhart's Island.
When his father died the year following, he managed the property and became owner of the farm. In 1886 he bought the Thatcher Manufacturing Company of Potsdam, in company with his brother Henry. He was secretary of the company, his brother was treasurer, and they conducted the business for a dozen years very successfully.
Since 1898 he has been retired from active business, though he has found ample occuptation in the mangement of his real estate and farm and in lumbering. He has spent much time in travel. He was active in the development of the Pyrites Pulp and Paper Company, Canton, N.Y.
In politics he is Republican, and in religion an Episcopalian, and has been vertryman and junior warden of Trinity Church, Potsdam.
He married (first), 1866, Alice B., daughter of William Clark, of Potsdam. She died in 1873, and he married (second) Elizabeth McIntyre. He married (third) Frances Dixson, and (fourth) Florence J. Henderson.
Children of first wife:
1. Katherine, married Judge F.G. Paddock, of Malone; children: Kaatherine and Alice Paddock.
2. Adelaide, married John Harrington, of New York City; children: Bernard, Anna and Joseph Harrington.
Child of second wife:
3. William George, now of Canton, North Carolina, in the employ of the North Carolina Suphite Pulp Company.
Child of third wife:
4. Samuel Dixson, an electrician living at Mills Rush, Ontario; married ____Tilton, and has a son, Francis Dixson.

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