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He was also known
as "Harrison" Barnhouse.
He is the son of Samuel Barnhouse
and his first wife Nancy Ann Upton, of
Monongalia County Virginia, and later,
of Buchanan, Berrien County Michign.
He was the youngest of their five children.
------------------------------------
Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
------------------------------------
Wm. Harrison was born in Monongalia
County Virginia. (This area later
became part of Marion Co. "West" VA).
-----------------------
He was also the nephew of Ewell
Dragoo's wife Jane (Barnhouse) Dragoo,
who is also buried here.
-----------------------------------
William Harrison Barnhouse and
his parents and siblings, came to
Buchanan, Michigan about 1843
or 1844.
Jane Barnhouse and her...
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He was also known
as "Harrison" Barnhouse.
He is the son of Samuel Barnhouse
and his first wife Nancy Ann Upton, of
Monongalia County Virginia, and later,
of Buchanan, Berrien County Michign.
He was the youngest of their five children.
------------------------------------
Note: PLEASE, do NOT transfer this
memorial to other web sites.
Thanks, Nancy (Letcher) Heib.
------------------------------------
Wm. Harrison was born in Monongalia
County Virginia. (This area later
became part of Marion Co. "West" VA).
-----------------------
He was also the nephew of Ewell
Dragoo's wife Jane (Barnhouse) Dragoo,
who is also buried here.
-----------------------------------
William Harrison Barnhouse and
his parents and siblings, came to
Buchanan, Michigan about 1843
or 1844.
Jane Barnhouse and her husband
Ewell Dragoo, "returned" to Buchanan,
Berrien County, Michigan in late 1844,
or in 1845.
----------------------------------
Records of the Mead School, North of
Buchanan, MI show that the children
of Samuel and Nancy Barnhouse attended
the Mead School starting in 1844.
-------------------------------
The 1860 plat map of Buchanan township,
shows William and his parents living
along the East side of the St. Joseph
River [possibly on East River Road,
which is mentioned in the following
article], in Section 13 of Buchanan
township, directly across the river
from William's future father-in-law
John Fleming Dragoo Sr., who lived
along the West side of the river, in
Section 14. (John F. Dragoo Sr. also
owned two of the Islands in the middle
of the river, between them).
---------------------------------
William Harrison Barnhouse served
for 3 years in the Civil War, from
Sept. 14, 1861 to Oct. 22, 1864.
He was a Sergeant in Company L,
Second Michigan Cavalry.
He was taken prisoner, and held in
a confederate prison, but was later
released in a prisoner exchange.
------------------------------------
The following article on
William Harrison Barnhouse,
was published in
"The Berrien County Record"
newspaper, in Buchanan, Michigan,
on Thursday, Nov. 1, 1928,
page 3, column 1:
-------------
Grave of Union Officer
Is Lost Near Buchanan.
School civics classes, woman's clubs,
or other organizations which are
desirous of being of public service
might expend some worthy effort not
entirely without credit to themselves
by locating and marking the grave of
a Union officer in the Civil War,
whose last resting place is now
practically lost in a tangle of
underbrush and laurel in the
Reynolds burying ground in the
Treat and Howe addition.
The grave is that of Harrison
Barnhouse, sergeant in Co. L.,
Second Michigan Cavalry, who
served three years in the army,
seeing service in several battles.
Barnhouse was a fellow soldier of
Ashley Carlisle, both serving in
the start of the war under Phil
Sheridan who was then the colonel
of their regiment. Barnhouse was
captured on July 2, 1862, in a
battle at Booneville, Miss.
A superior force of Confederates
engaged Sheridan's regiment of
1,600 cavalry in dense woods and
the two forces fought all without
either gaining advantage. At night
the Confederates withdrew, taking
with them a number of prisioners
including Barnhouse.
Barnhouse spent two or three months
[or "six" months per another article]
in a Confederate prison at Macon,
Ga., and was then released. He was
an Odd Fellow [lodge member], and it
is believed that he used his lodge
affiliation in securing an exchange.
After returning here, he farmed for
many years on the river road [on East
River Road in Section 13], about two
miles below the power house, [and
later in Section 15, West of the river].
He died about 12 years ago ["should"
say "52" years ago], and was
buried in the Reynolds burying ground;
also known as the "Virginian's burying
ground", from the fact that a number
of the early Virginian settlers were
buried there.
---------------------------------
Note: The "Reynolds family" had
at one time, owned the farm that
this Dragoo family was buried on.
----------------------------------
Note: Other military records for
Wm. Harrison Barnhouse show that
he was also "missing in action" at
Franklin, Tennessee on May 2, 1863.
------------------------------------
The "Perryville Battlefield" web site,
states that he was "missing in action"
after "two" battles.
---------------------------------
Also, see large article on Wm. Harrison
Barnhouse titled: "Nation Has Grave
Unknown Soldier; Buchanan Has Lost Grave
of Soldier", that was published in
"The Berrien County Record" newspaper,
in Buchanan, Michigan, on
Nov. 29, 1928, page 1, which states
that William Harrison Barnhouse was in
the prison in Macon, GA for "six" months.
[This article may be obtained from micro-
film, at the Buchanan District Library,
or the Niles District Library].
------------------------------------
Read about the Confederate
Prisoner-of-War camp
in Macon, Georgia named
"Camp Oglethorpe", where William
Harrison Barnhouse was held prisoner,
on the following web site:
www.mycivilwar.com/pow/ga-macon.htm
----------
"OR" go to: www.googlebooks.com
and type in "Civil War Macon:
The History of a Confederate City".
(Chapter 7, Page 125).
-------------------------------------
Wm. Harrison Barnhouse was married on
April 9, 1865, to Isabel Dragoo, the
daughter of John Fleming Dragoo Sr.
and his wife Barbara Ann Level, in
Buchanan Twp., Berrien County Michigan.
--------------------------------------
Their Marriage Certificate reads as follows:
-----------
State of Michigan.
County of Berrien.
I hereby certify that at Buchanan,
Michigan on the 9th Day of April,
1865 I joined in marriage William
H. Barnhouse aged 24 years & Isabel
Dragoo aged 17 years both of Berrien
Co. Mich. & that these were there
as witinesses: T. S. & S. A. Dragoo
of Buchanan, Mich.
Enoch A. Ross,
Justice of the Peace.
-------------
Note: The witiness'es were
Tucker Steele Dragoo and his wife
Sarah A. Dragoo. Tucker S. Dragoo
(the son of Ewell Dragoo), was a first
cousin of BOTH William and Isabel.
This marriage was performed at the
home of the bride's mother Barbara
Ann (Level) Dragoo (per Isabel and
William's bible). (Isabel's father
John Fleming Dragoo Sr. had died
four years previous, in 1861).
---------------------------------
Note: The name of William's wife Isabel
is spelled with only one "L" on
their marriage certificate, in
their family bible, in her son's
Sammie and Herbert's obituaries,
and on two deed records,
but it is spelled with two
"L's", on her headstone.
-------------------------------
The four children of
William Harrison Barnhouse and his
wife Isabel (Dragoo) Barnhouse are:
------------
1. Nancy Ann Barnhouse.
(Possibly named after Wm.'s mother,
who died on Jan. 14, 1866, only 6 days
before Nancy was born.)
b. Jan. 20, 1866, in Buchanan township,
Berrien County Michigan.
Records show that Nancy attended the
Miller School, in Buchanan township,
District # 2.
Nancy was a pupil of Nathan "California"
Johnson, both at his select school
on Dewey Avenue, and afterword, when
he taught at the Miller School
(Per: "The Story of Buchanan, A History"
Chapter 68).
Nancy married John Michael Meffert [Sr.]
Dec. 7, 1884 in Buchanan, Berrien Co.
Michigan. They then moved to Lowell,
(per deed transfer), near Ocala, in
Marion County Florida, about 1884/85
(about the same time that Nancy's widowed
mother Isabel moved to Nebraska, with
her widowed mother Barbara, and several
of Isabel's siblings). John M. Meffert
owned 5 farms. John M. Meffert
personally owned over 2,000 acres near
Ocala, Marion County Florida. The firm
of Meffert and Taylor owned 14,000
acres, and the firm of Meffert and
Maynard owned 8,000 acres. Nancy died
on Jan. 16, 1962, in Marion Co. Florida.
(John was born Nov. 19, 1856 in
Germany, and he died on
Feb. 18, 1941 in Marion Co. Florida).
The 10 children of John and Nancy are:
(All born in Florida, except for Frederick,
who was born in Michigan).
(All buried in Marion Co. Florida).
1. Robert BRUCE Meffert. (1885-1975).
(Robert married Ruth Murray).
2. Clara M. Meffert. (1888-1888).
(Clara died at 2 months and 10 days).
3. Clarence Christian Meffert (1889-1978).
4. Frederick Henry Meffert. (1892-1972).
(Fred Married Lillian N. Unknown).
5. Mabel M. Meffert. (1895-1981).
(Mabel married Charles A. Bache).
6. Roscoe Herbert Meffert. (1897-1978).
7. Wellington Harrison Meffert (1899-1988).
(Possibly named after Nancy's brother
and her father?)
(Wellington maried Isabel Laird Clark).
8. Marion Clair Meffert. (1904-1964).
(Marion age 39 married Daniel Paul Cooper,
on Sept. 4, 1943, in Marion Co. FL).
9. John Michael Meffert Jr. (1907-1988).
(John Jr. married Lucille Vogt).
10. George Leslie Meffert Sr. (1907-2000).
(John Jr. and George were twins).
-------
The "Berrien County Record" newspaper
in Buchanan, Michigan on April 16, 1914,
page 2, column 4, tells of the
enormous losses their farm in Florida
suffered from a storm that damaged
his farm and fruit land,
turpentine still, ice plant, three
lime plants, a barrel and basket
factory, a saw mill and his 100
acres of melons in Florida.
------
John and Nancy Meffert are buried
in the Millwood Cemetery, in Reddick,
Marion County Florida (near Ocala),
along with most of their children.
Nancy's descendants have in their
possession, the family Bible that had
belonged to Nancy's parents, William H.
and Isabel (Dragoo) Barnhouse.
----
Note: See large 2 & 1/2 page article
on John Michael Meffert, published
in the "Florida edition" of:
"Makers of America, An Historical and
Biographical Work, by an able corps of
writers", Vol. 3 (pages 125, 126, and 127),
by the Florida Historical Society, 1909.
(You can google it, with John's name).
-------------------------------------
2. Ira Wellington Barnhouse
(also known as "Wellington" Barnhouse).
b. July 2, 1869, in Buchanan township,
Berrien County Michigan.
He married Margaret I. Uphoff, the
daughter of Frederick A. Uphoff and
his wife Caroline Tilker, on Oct. 29, 1890
in Clarksdale, DeKalb County Missouri.
They possibly had a daughter
Clara Barnhouse, born Oct. 15, 1891,
in Michigan. Clara married Earl W. Kibbey
in 1913. Clara died on March 19, 1998,
in Stewartsville, DeKalb County Missouri.
Ira Wellington died Jan. 27, 1894,
age 24 years, 6 months and 27 days.
(Margaret later married Daniel Dice).
Ira is buried next to his wife Margaret
in the Stewartsville Cemetery, in
Stewartsville, DeKalb County Missouri.
-------------------------------------
3. Nellie A. Barnhouse (twin).
b. Feb. 29, 1876
d. March 3, 1876, at 3 days old
(per bible records), in Buchanan
Township, Berrien County Michigan.
She was a twin to Samuel Newton.
Buried in this cemetery.
--------------------------------
4. Samuel Newton Barnhouse (twin)
(nicknamed "Sammie").
b. Feb. 29, 1876 and
died Sept. 12, 1876 at 6 months
and 12 days old, in Buchanan
Township, Berrien Co. Michigan.
He was a twin to Nellie A.
Buried in this cemetery.
______________________________
The 1870 Census and the 1871
directory, show that Wm. Harrison
and Isabel Barnhouse owned a farm
in Section 15 of Buchanan Township,
Berrien County Michigan.
------------------------------------
The 1873 plat map of Buchanan
township, shows William Harrison
Barnhouse and his family still
living in Section 15
(on or near Miller Road).
His property adjoins that of
(Isabel's Uncle) Albert Tomlinson,
Liberty U. Dragoo (who was both
William and Isabel's cousin), and
Isabel's brothers Julius M. Dragoo,
and John Fleming Dragoo Jr.
Living near them are:
Isabel's sister Lurinda and her
husband Van Kirkendall, Isabel's
mother Barbara Dragoo, and Isabel's
sister Barbara and her husband William Kelley.
-------------------------------
Wm. Harrison died in Buchanan Twp.,
on Sept. 25, 1876,
at the age of 36 years,
1 month and 26 days (not 29 days,
as was stated in the newspaper).
-------------------------------------
[At the top of his headstone, it has
pictured 3 small links of a chain,
linked together]. His headstone reads:
---
Wm. H. BARNHOUSE
DIED
Sept. 25, 1876
AE 36 Y. 1 M. 26 D.
-------------------------------
Wm. Harrison died just two weeks after
the death of their six-month-old son
Samuel ("Sammie") Newton Barnhouse.
------------------------------
Isabel lost two children and
her husband, all within
6 months and 22 days.
------------------------------------
These two children are buried here
with William Harrison, as well as his
parents Samuel and Nancy Barnhouse.
----------------------------------
A short death notice and a poem
for William Harrison Barnhouse
were published in the
"Berrien County Record" newspaper
in Buchanan, MI., on Oct. 5, 1876,
page 3. It states:
------------------
Deaths: Died, Sept. 25, 1876, William
H. Barnhouse, aged 36 years, 1 month
and 29 days [should be 26 days].
----
Oh, Lord, with sympathy I ask,
To smoothe my aching heart,
Till I am called by you away,
From earth and friends to part.
Twas just two weeks,
since we were called,
To mourn the loss of one.
Our little baby Sammie dear,
That lies beneath the tomb.
And now my dear companion's gone,
To dwell far on that shore,
Where tears can never dim his eyes,
And death shall come no more.
L. K.
__________________________________
Note: "L. K." possibly stands for
Lurinda (Dragoo) Kirkendall, who
was Isabel's older sister (and
who possibly wrote the poem).
(Lorinda also wrote a poem for
the obituary for her own daughter,
Edith Dasie Kirkendall, who died
at the age of 4 and 1/2, in 1873).
----------------------------------
Wm. Harrison and Isabel's personal
family Bible has been found in the
possession of one of their descendants,
and photocopied by Dan Nelson.
-------------------------------------
After Wm. Harrison Barnhouse died in
1876, his wife Isabel was later married
on Feb. 28, 1878 in Buchanan, Berrien
County Michigan, to Melvin L. Knight.
They had a son Herbert Clyde Knight
who was born on Sept. 20, 1879 and
died on July 22, 1880, of cholera, at
the age of 10 months and one day.
Herbert is also buried in this cemetery.
-----------------------------------
The 1880 census of Buchanan, Berrien Co. MI
shows Melvin, age 23, and "Isabella" Knight,
age 32, with Nancy, Ira, and Herbert.
---.
Isabel and Melvin must have later
been divorced (or had their marriage
annuled), as Melvin was again
married on Nov. 11, 1885 in Berrien
Springs, Berrien County Michigan, to
Nora Belle Mahum.
Isabel then went back to using the
surname of "Barnhouse".
------------------------------------
In 1880, Isabel (Barnhouse) Knight was
appointed as the legal guardian for her
children Ira Wellington Barnhouse and
Nancy Ann Barnhouse. (Perhaps when
Isabel and Melvin were divorced).
(Guardianship papers are located at the
Berrien County Historical Association.
See: www.berrienhistory.org).
------------------------------------
Isabel is listed as Isabel "Barnhouse"
when she sold land in Buchanan township,
to her brother Julius Dragoo [Sr.]
on Dec. 4, 1884.
--------------------------------
Isabel then moved with her widowed
mother and some of her siblings
("about" late 1884 or in 1885),
to Fairfield, Clay County Nebraska,
where Isabel died on April 12, 1888,
at the age of 40 years.
She is buried in the Fairfield
Cemetery, in Fairfield, Clay County
Nebraska as "Isabell Barnhouse"
(near her mother Barbara, and
brother John F. Dragoo Jr.).
See the memorial for
"Isabel Barnhouse" (of Nebraska),
on this find-a-grave web site.
-------------------------------------
Note: See the memorials for the
families of Wm. Harrison and
Isabel (Dragoo) Barnhouse
on this web site.
----------------
Isabel's family:
Grandfather, Jacob Dragoo.
Grandmother, Isabella (Jones) Dragoo.
Father, John Fleming Dragoo Sr.
Uncle, Ewell Dragoo.
Aunt, Jane (Barnhouse) Dragoo.
Cousin, Liberty U. Dragoo.
(All of Berrien County Michigan).
Mother, Barbara (Level) Dragoo,
of Clay County Nebraska.
-----------------------
William Harrison's family:
Father, Samuel Barnhouse.
Mother, Nancy (Upton) Barnhouse.
Aunt, Jane (Barnhouse) Dragoo.
Uncle, Ewell Dragoo.
Cousin, Liberty U. Dragoo.
Son, Samuel Newton Barnhouse.
Daughter, Nellie A. Barnhouse.
(All of Berrien County Michigan).
Daughter, Nancy (Barnhouse) Meffert,
of Marion County Florida.
Son, Ira Wellington Barnhouse,
of DeKalb County Missouri.
-------------------------------
Note: For additional information
on this cemetery, and on this
Dragoo family, see:
"The Virginian's Burying Ground,
Buchanan, Berrien County Michigan
and The Family of Jacob and
Isabella Dragoo", compiled by
Nancy (Letcher) Heib,
located in the "Local History
Room" of the Buchanan District
Library, Buchanan, Michigan.
Also, located in the "Library
of Michigan", in Lansing, Michigan
(www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan)
and in the
Allen County Public Library
in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
(www.acpl.lib.in.us)
----------------------------------
UPDATE:
In May and June of 2012,
several members of
"Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery",
with permission from the new landowners,
cleared out the pile of brush and poison
ivy around a tree in the
"Virginian's Burying Ground",
and found many of the old missing
headstones, and "dug up" a few more.
They also put a number of the
broken headstones back together,
cleaned them, stood them in their
upright positions, and "reconstructed"
this cemetery.
-----
Note: Headstone photos (taken in 2012),
are courtesy of
Robert D. Brown, President,
and newsletter editor of
"Friends of Oak Ridge Cemetery",
and courtesy of "Friends"
member Spencer Miller.
-----
Photos of William and Isabel,
and map of Camp Oglethorpe,
are courtesy of Dan Nelson.
-----
Click on photos to see enlargements,
captions, and additional photos.
--------------------------------
Note: For a list of the 28 people
who are known to have been buried
in this Dragoo family pioneer
cemetery (with their bios),
click on:--------------
"Virginian's Burying Ground"
(at the bottom of this page).
Then,... click on...
"View all interments".
-------------------------------
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