http://ncbible.org/nwh/ProBarnett.html

George Hayes Barnett

Pioneer Northwest Gospel Preacher

By Charles Dailey - September 2004

(Nice History summary, with Picture of George and Barbara Barnett)

http://ncbible.org/nwh/ProBarnett.html

George H. Barnett at a Glance:

Parents: Ephraim and Jane McClenahan Barnett

Born: 1829 in Shelby Co., Ohio

Married: Barbara Ellen Martz in 1850

Children: John Ephraim,

Anna Evangeline,

Clarence Livy

Traveled the Trail 1853

Relatives in the

travel party: Son: John Ephraim Barnett

Parents: Ephraim and Jane Barnett

Uncle: George H. Barnett, Sr.

(Jr. and Sr. were used to distinguish between uncles

and nephews as well as fathers and sons.)

Brother: Robert Harvey Barnett

Brother: Paul John and Catherine Barnett

with their children Henry Logan and Francis Hellen

Brother: Elijah McClenahan and Eleanor Barnett

with their children Elijah Benjamin and David Wesley

Aunt: Adalade Martz, sister of Barbara Barnett

Primary trade: School teacher

Schools: Near Lebanon 1858 - 1859

Monmouth 1859 - 1863

Bethany (Silverton) 1864 - 1866

Bethel Academy (near Amity) 1866 - 1867

Monmouth 1870

Tygh Valley 1871

Died: November 10, 1898 at age 69.

Buried: George and Barbara are

buried in the IOOF Cemetery

in The Dalles, Oregon

George Barnett's father Ephraim was a farmer-preacher who came over the Oregon Trail when he was 56 years of age. George's mother Jane was 58. This was a demanding trip for these senior citizens. The family group settled near Lebanon, Oregon at a community that became known as Sand Ridge.

( Picture)

John Ephraim, Clarence,

George, Anna and Ellen

-- Courtesy of Clarence Charles Barnett, Yakima WA

Among the first projects at Sand Ridge was to establish a church. Most of the relatives had settled in this area so a church group was natural. They met in the home of Ephraim and Jane Barnett, but the organizational work was done by John Alkire Powell from the Albany area. This was 1855.

Ephraim and Jane finished their years at Sand Ridge and are burried in the Sand Ridge Cemetery.

George did some farm work and maybe some gold mining. By the fall of 1858, he was teaching school in the Lebanon area. It may have been the Sand Ridge School.

George Hays Barnett was next involved in teaching at the grade-school level in Monmouth. It was called the Monmouth Academy, a school of the lower grades.

It was here that Monmouth University had been established in 1856 with Judge J. W. Cowls as the teacher. In 1865 Levi Lindsay Rowland was selected as the first president and the University became simply Christian College.

(Picture)

Barbara Ellen and George Hays Barnett

-- Courtesy of Clarence Charles Barnett,

Yakima WA

This pioneer teacher-preacher did not feel well enough to teach every year and took at least a year away from that work. He began to dream about moving to Eastern Oregon where the climate is drier than the Willamette Valley. He spoke about this plan among his friends.

George then taught for two years at Bethany, near Silverton. Following this, he went to Bethel, located about four miles south of Amity, Oregon.

According to Bethel historian John E. Smith, George Hays Barnett was the principal of Bethel Academy (grades and high school) during the 1866-1867 school year.

About 1871, Levi Lindsay Rowland sold his Eastern Oregon ranch located east of The Dalles to G. H. Barnett. George moved his family to this ranch at Dufur (once known as Fifteenmile because it was located on Fifteenmile Creek). It was while living here that son John Ephraim was married to Martha Ann Turner. John also taught school and was the first postmaster at Boyd, three miles away.

Historian Jerry Rushford says of G. H. Barnett and his lady, "They were living in Wasco County in the 1870's and 1880's. He was preaching for the Fifteen Mile Church in that county when the P. P. Underwood family arrived in 1878. Underwood shared the preaching responsibilities with Barnett."

In 1890, John Ephraim Barnett moved his family to The Dalles and the following year George Hays and Barbara Ellen Barnett followed, settling in a house at 325 East 11th Street.

George worked with John W. Jenkins to establish, first a Sunday School, then a church at Court and Ninth Street.

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http://ncbible.org/nwh/OrWasco.html

The pioneer-era families included George Hays and Barbara Barnett (1853), and William R. and Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee (1852). The Menefee family has first settled on a Donation Land Claim in Yamhill County, then in 1855 settled at Dufur where he farmed and was a Justice of the Peace. He also constructed the first water system for Dufur.

(Nice Picture)

Moving Freight with a Ten Horse-power 18 Wheeler

They met in a school house located at Boyd with George Barnett doing the preaching during the early years. A note in the Christian Messenger reported that "Sister Shelley" preached one time each month at Fifteen Mile. We guess that this is Mrs. Troy (Annie) Shelly. Her husband preached at the Odell Church of Christ in Hood River County. There were very few reports of women preaching during this era in Oregon's history.

G. H. Barnett wrote the following to the Pacific Christian Messenger in 1877:

Fifteen Mile Creek, OR.

We are struggling hard for the existence of the congregation here. . . . We begin to realize that Christianity is an individual matter, and not something for the preacher alone to do.

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1860 Census OR Polk Independence Pg 67

Line 1

606 538 G. H. Burnett 30 Farmer OH

Barbara Burnett 27 F OH

J. E. Burnett 8 M IL

A. E. Burnett 5 F OR

C. L. Burnett 2 M OR

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1870 Census OR Marion Silverton Pg 89B

Line 39

1500 1317 Barnett Geo H 40 MW Teacher OH

-------, Barbara 38 FW Keeps House OH

-------, Jno E 18 MW IL

-------, Annie E 15 FW At School OR

-------, Clarence 12 MW At School OR

Hillyes Minnie 4 FW (Adopted crossed out) OR

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1880 Census OR Wasco Fifteen-Mile Dist 123 Pg 282C

Line 21

328 337 Barnet H. George WM 50 Farmer OH KY KY

-------, E. Barbara WF 48 Wife Keeping House OH VA VA

Hilia A. Mary WF 14 Adopted OR -- OR

Woolery J. John WM 49 Farmer MO TN MO

-------, E. Ada WF 27 Wife Keeps House OR VA OH

-------, Winnifred WF 5 Daughter OR MO OR

-------, R. Thomas WM 2 Son OR MO OR

-------, Ina WF 1 Daughter OR MO OR

Woolery, Henry WM 21 Farmer OR MO IL

-------, Frederick WM 19 Farmer OR MO IL

Burial: IOOF Cemetery, The Dallas, OR

Census 1: 1850, IL Stark Pg 208(See Father)

Census 2: 1860, OR Polk Independence Pg 67

Census 3: 1870, OR Marion Silverton Pg 89B

Census 4: 1880, OR Wasco Fifteen-Mile Dist 123 Pg 282C

Emigration: 1853, To Oregon from Illinois

Tax Roll: 1854, Linn County, Oregon⁴⁸

1900 Census OR Wasco The Dalles Dist 142 Pg 33A

Line 18

202 237 Barnett Barbara E Head WF Nov 1818 81 Wd OH VA VA

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1910 Census OR Wasco Dalles Wd 2 Dist 302 Pg 277B

Line 80

616 54 63 Clough Harry Head MW 56 m1 10 England England England Machinist Shop

----------, Annie E Wife FW 55 M2 10 (3 Children 3 Alive) OR OH OH

Barnett, Barbara E Mother-in-law FW 90 Wd (5 Children 5 Alive) OH VA VA

Burial: IOOF Cemetery, The Dallas, OR

Census 1: 1860, OR Polk Independence Pg 67(See Husband)

Census 2: 1870, OR Marion Silverton Pg 89B(See Husband)

Census 3: 1880, OR Wasco Fifteen-Mile Dist 123 Pg 282C(See Husband)

Census 4: 1900, OR Wasco The Dalles Dist 142 Pg 33A

Census 5: 1910, OR Wasco Dalles Wd 2 Dist 302 Pg 277B

Marriage: 18 Sep 1850, Henry, Illinois⁴⁹