Wednesday, October 5, 2011

My Barber Line

With a name like Thomas Barber Nase, I was almost sure that Barber was another family name. So one day I decided to see if I could find out anything about that, and I did. I dug around and dug around until I found some will abstracts from Sussex Co, NJ (1860 census for TB Nase showed he was born in New Jersey and I think I had already found clues that his father's name was George). There was this entry:
BARBER, Thomas of Greenwich. 1492S - W. 20 Sep 1808; Filed 5 Dec 1816. Wife: Margaret. Sons: Samuel and John (dec'd). Daughters: Phebe STIVERS, Elizabeth NACE(sic) w/o George and Ann Perine MUCHLER. Others: S-n-l, John STIVERS; Thomas and Robert BARBER s/o dec'd son John. Executors: Wife, Margaret, dau Ann (Nancy) Perine MUCHLER and William KENNEDY. Witnesses: James McCARTER, James J. KENNEDY and William M. KENNEDY.

It was the clue I needed! Later on I found this:
File 12696 C. 
 
1813, Sept. 20. Barber, Thomas, of Greenwich, Sussex Co.; will of. 
Wife, Margaret, $1,333.33; also my negro girl, a cow, bed and bedding, 
household goods for 1 room, all in lieu of dower, and to be at her 
own disposal. Son, Samuel, $00.66. Presbyterian Congregation at 
Harmony in Greewich Twsp., $66.66, the interest thereof for use of 
church as long as it exists there but if dissolved, the principal sum 
to return to my estate. Having paid for land on which my son-in- 
law, John Stivers lives, I give out of said estate, $533.33 to children 
of daughter, Phebe Stivers, and residue to return to my estate. Rest 
of all estate to be sold. Residue to be divided into 5 equal shares. 
One such share to children of my son, Samuel, who is to have interest 
thereof for life and if his present wife survive him, she is to have 
% of said interest during her widowhood. One share to my 2 grand- 
sons, Thomas and Robert (sons of my son, Robert, lately dec'd), 
when 21. Daughters, Elizabeth (wife of George Nace), Ann Perine 
Muckler, and Phebe Stivers, each the interest of one share and at 
their deaths, principal to their children. Executors — wife, Margaret, 
daughter, Ann Perine Muckler and friend, William Kennedy, Esq. 
Witnesses — James M. Carter, James J. Kennedy, William M. Kennedy. 
Proved Dec. 5, 1816, when Margaret Barber*, Nancy Mutchler, Wm. 
Kennedy signed as Executors. 


It was great! Then I went to Find A Grave. I have not been able to find the death or grave of Thomas Barber Nase, it appears he passed before his wife Polly, since I found Polly in the 1880 census in Polk, Crawford Co, OH  as a widow living with her daughter and her family (Lucy Nase Overly). So it's most likely he died in Ohio. I did find Thomas Barber and his wife Margaret on find a grave. Thomas Barber was a patriot in the Revolutionary War. I checked the DAR site and sure enough, several ladies have joined under his patriotism. Here is his Find A Grave memorial:
What seemed odd to me was that his grave, as well as his wife's, was in the basement of a church. So I contacted the person who created the memorial and he wrote back with an explanation. He explained that "the church needed to expand and the only direction they could go was out towards the parking lot. The graves were in the way, and rather than disturb them, the church addition was built over the graves. There are about 12 graves under this addition." This person has installed a Veteran's marker right outside the door that leads to the actual graves.
This same researcher is also descended from Thomas Barber and has also tried to find out more about the family. We know that Thomas' wife's name was Margaret Perrine, but that's about it. The name Perrine sounds French to me too, does anyone know?


So, the tree from Clarinda Nace got expanded. Her parent's were Thomas Barber Nase and Polly Montanye. Thomas Barber Nase was likely born 1799 in Luzerne Co, Pa. His parents were George Nase and Elizabeth Barber. I have seen two different dates for George's birth, and haven't yet confirmed one or the other. One is 1736 and the other is 1858.
I also have two possible birth dates for his wife Elizabeth Barber: 1761-1765 and she may have been born in Sussex Co, NJ. It is said she died 1817 in Luzerne Co, PA. I have seen a possible wedding date for George and Elizabeth as 1782, so if that is true and looking at birth dates suggested for Elizabeth, I tend to think George's birth date to be more likely the later of the two seen. I have yet to locate anything to confirm any dates for this couple. The death dates I have for George and Elizabeth are: George 1814 in Luzerne Co, PA and 1817 for Elizabeth also in Luzerne Co, PA. What I'm not sure about with George's date is that has him having died before Elizabeth's father, Thomas Barber who died in 1816. Would he be mentioned in the will and abstract in the present tense if he had already passed away? Or am I just reading it too literally?
According to the dates I'm seeing Elizabeth died a year after her father, but before her mother, Margaret Perrine who died in 1825.
At any rate, I'm at a dead end with the Barber and the Perrine line, but this felt like some progress anyway.

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