Willie Gray Barnes was born 1819 in Edgecombe County, NC the youngest of 9 known surviving children (5 boys/4 girls) born to farmers Burrell Barnes (ca. 1752-1843) and his wife, Elizabeth Flowers.
He was the paternal grandson of Brittain Barnes, Sr. (ca. 1728-1818), considered the founder of Wilson, NC, and his wife, Penelope. He was the gr-grandson of Joshua Barnes (ca. 1698-1762) of Southhampton Co, VA and a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, the London Merchant, Edward Barnes who emigrated to the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1620. On his mother's side, he was the maternal grandson of Hardy Flowers & Mary White of Edgecombe Co, NC.
On November 12, 1850, 31-year old Willie married 16-year old Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of Capt. William J. Armstrong of Edgecombe (later Wilson) County. The couple settled down to farming in what was then Joyner's Township (now Elm City) in the northern part of what would become Wilson County. The couple were not wealthy, but managed to educate all their sons.
Willie and Mary would become parents to 10 known surviving children (6 boys/5 girls):
* James Henry Barnes (1851-1909)
* Franklin J. Barnes (1854-bef 1870)
* William Burrell Barnes (1856-1902)
* Elizabeth Crissy Barnes (1859-1929)
* Henrietta J. Barnes (1856-1935)
* Willie Gray Barnes, Jr. (1861-1877)
* George Armstrong Barnes(1862-1921)
* Mary "Molly" Ester Barnes (a/k/a/ "Missy") (1866-1937),
* Roxanne "Roxie" Serena Barnes (1869-1942)
* Gertrude Ecdale Barnes (1873-1945)
Willie Gray Barnes, Sr. died in 1898 at age 79. His wife of 47 years survived him over 20 years, passing in 1919 at age 84.
He was the paternal grandson of Brittain Barnes, Sr. (ca. 1728-1818), considered the founder of Wilson, NC, and his wife, Penelope. He was the gr-grandson of Joshua Barnes (ca. 1698-1762) of Southhampton Co, VA and a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, the London Merchant, Edward Barnes who emigrated to the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1620. On his mother's side, he was the maternal grandson of Hardy Flowers & Mary White of Edgecombe Co, NC.
On November 12, 1850, 31-year old Willie married 16-year old Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of Capt. William J. Armstrong of Edgecombe (later Wilson) County. The couple settled down to farming in what was then Joyner's Township (now Elm City) in the northern part of what would become Wilson County. The couple were not wealthy, but managed to educate all their sons.
Willie and Mary would become parents to 10 known surviving children (6 boys/5 girls):
* James Henry Barnes (1851-1909)
* Franklin J. Barnes (1854-bef 1870)
* William Burrell Barnes (1856-1902)
* Elizabeth Crissy Barnes (1859-1929)
* Henrietta J. Barnes (1856-1935)
* Willie Gray Barnes, Jr. (1861-1877)
* George Armstrong Barnes(1862-1921)
* Mary "Molly" Ester Barnes (a/k/a/ "Missy") (1866-1937),
* Roxanne "Roxie" Serena Barnes (1869-1942)
* Gertrude Ecdale Barnes (1873-1945)
Willie Gray Barnes, Sr. died in 1898 at age 79. His wife of 47 years survived him over 20 years, passing in 1919 at age 84.
Willie Gray Barnes was born 1819 in Edgecombe County, NC the youngest of 9 known surviving children (5 boys/4 girls) born to farmers Burrell Barnes (ca. 1752-1843) and his wife, Elizabeth Flowers.
He was the paternal grandson of Brittain Barnes, Sr. (ca. 1728-1818), considered the founder of Wilson, NC, and his wife, Penelope. He was the gr-grandson of Joshua Barnes (ca. 1698-1762) of Southhampton Co, VA and a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, the London Merchant, Edward Barnes who emigrated to the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1620. On his mother's side, he was the maternal grandson of Hardy Flowers & Mary White of Edgecombe Co, NC.
On November 12, 1850, 31-year old Willie married 16-year old Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of Capt. William J. Armstrong of Edgecombe (later Wilson) County. The couple settled down to farming in what was then Joyner's Township (now Elm City) in the northern part of what would become Wilson County. The couple were not wealthy, but managed to educate all their sons.
Willie and Mary would become parents to 10 known surviving children (6 boys/5 girls):
* James Henry Barnes (1851-1909)
* Franklin J. Barnes (1854-bef 1870)
* William Burrell Barnes (1856-1902)
* Elizabeth Crissy Barnes (1859-1929)
* Henrietta J. Barnes (1856-1935)
* Willie Gray Barnes, Jr. (1861-1877)
* George Armstrong Barnes(1862-1921)
* Mary "Molly" Ester Barnes (a/k/a/ "Missy") (1866-1937),
* Roxanne "Roxie" Serena Barnes (1869-1942)
* Gertrude Ecdale Barnes (1873-1945)
Willie Gray Barnes, Sr. died in 1898 at age 79. His wife of 47 years survived him over 20 years, passing in 1919 at age 84.
He was the paternal grandson of Brittain Barnes, Sr. (ca. 1728-1818), considered the founder of Wilson, NC, and his wife, Penelope. He was the gr-grandson of Joshua Barnes (ca. 1698-1762) of Southhampton Co, VA and a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, the London Merchant, Edward Barnes who emigrated to the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1620. On his mother's side, he was the maternal grandson of Hardy Flowers & Mary White of Edgecombe Co, NC.
On November 12, 1850, 31-year old Willie married 16-year old Mary Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of Capt. William J. Armstrong of Edgecombe (later Wilson) County. The couple settled down to farming in what was then Joyner's Township (now Elm City) in the northern part of what would become Wilson County. The couple were not wealthy, but managed to educate all their sons.
Willie and Mary would become parents to 10 known surviving children (6 boys/5 girls):
* James Henry Barnes (1851-1909)
* Franklin J. Barnes (1854-bef 1870)
* William Burrell Barnes (1856-1902)
* Elizabeth Crissy Barnes (1859-1929)
* Henrietta J. Barnes (1856-1935)
* Willie Gray Barnes, Jr. (1861-1877)
* George Armstrong Barnes(1862-1921)
* Mary "Molly" Ester Barnes (a/k/a/ "Missy") (1866-1937),
* Roxanne "Roxie" Serena Barnes (1869-1942)
* Gertrude Ecdale Barnes (1873-1945)
Willie Gray Barnes, Sr. died in 1898 at age 79. His wife of 47 years survived him over 20 years, passing in 1919 at age 84.
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