George Washington and Charlotte Scott Barr

Front left: Charlotte Scott Barr, George Washington Barr
Back left: Sarah Barr, Charlotte Barr, Mary Ann Barr, Isaac D. Barr

George Washington Barr and Charlotte Scott were married 20 December 1849. The couple had eight children. John William [1850], Mary Ann [1852], Robert Francis [1854], Martha Jane [1856], Isaac Dalton [1858], Charles [1860], Charlotte [1861] and Sarah Catherine [1865]. John William, Martha Jane and Charles each died in infancy and Charlotte died at the age of 26.

The Barrs lived in the bottomlands of Stokes County known as Yadkin or present-day Pinnacle. Their land adjoined that of Charlotte's sister Ann and her husband Matthew Phillips.

George and Charlotte separated in about the year 1874. He sold her the land their home was on, and with help she continued operating a small farm. He built another house about a mile or more from their family home. Their great granddaughter, Sibyl Fulk Walker claims the home has now been burned. [The home to the left is an example of a typical home of the era in Stokes County, North Carolina.]

Family members have stated that for his generation, George was a big man who was very kind, humble and loved children. He had a very beautiful voice and sang songs to his grandchildren. One of those songs was "Froggie Went A-Courtin." [If you would like to listen to this tune click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFJLbMVgS-E&feature=related]

George Barr always signed his legal documents with an "X" mark. It was noted on the 1880 census that he could read but not write.

Sarah Barr Tuttle's daughter, Georgia Tuttle Powell, recalled, "Grandfather Barr was always kind to the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints giving them the best he had, but he never joined the Church. Mother [Sarah] could remember of two missionaries holding a cottage meeting at their home when she was a girl. She said, 'The meeting was very interesting, and everyone seemed to enjoy hearing of this Church and its marvelous doctrine.' But her folks were not convinced it was the right church."

My grandmother, Vera Anderson Anderson Poole, remembered her mother Hattie Tuttle Anderson told her that her grandpa Barr was blind and each day they took him around the the plantation [farm] for a walk. She said he always took a jug of wine with him. When it came her turn, when they rested, he took a drink, smacked his lips and sat in the shade. so while he rested, she tasted the wine. She said she hardly made it home it tasted so good.

Georgia Tuttle Powell stated, "Before mother [Sarah] was married, grandmother Barr waded the Little Yadkin River and walked six miles carrying a bundle of cotton to have some bedspreads made for a wedding gift. I can still remember seeing them."

Hattie remembered of her grandmother Charlotte, "When I was a little girl of nine years old when we lived in the southern states, we lived with dear old Grandma Barr. She was not well and could not do her work for a long time, so some of us had to live there."

Stokes County North Carolina tax, land and census records undeniably show us that George and Charlotte were profitable even early in their marriage. They ran a productive farm and bought and sold land regularly.

The 1860 Agricultural census schedule for Stokes County listed G. W. Barr with considerable untilled land as well as land for crops, farm equipment and animals. He stated that his crops were valued at: Wheat $285, rye $15, corn $575 and tobacco $4,500. He had 3 horses, 2 milk cows, 5 cattle, and 7 pigs. He also inherited in 1860 from his father, John Barr's estate, 4 sheep and a frian [frying] pan.

It must have taken extra hands to work the Barr farm. The 1850 and 1860 slave census for Stokes County noted that G. W. Barr had no slaves during those years. However, at least two Mulatto children came to their farm in about 1862--a girl Sophie Lovell who worked as household help and her brother, Jesse Lovell who worked as farm help. There may have been others, but their identify is unknown.


Charlotte Scott Barr died on 7 July 1897 in Stokes County, North Carolina at her daughter Mary Ann Barr Fulk's home. George Washington Barr, who lived blind for over 30 years, died of influenza on 24 March 1915 at Mary Ann's home as well. G.W. Barr left his estate including 50 acres of land to his daughter Mary Ann Barr Fulk who was the executrix of his will.