Henry Barkley's Last Will & Testament 1798 (Originally published May 2020)

Henry Barkley, my 6th great grandfather, is one of my biggest mysteries. I don't know where he came from. I don't know the full name of his wife, Mary. This is truly a brick wall.

Luckily, Henry left a will so I can trace his descendants. In the will, he is referred to as "Hendry" which is the Scottish form of Henry. I don't know if he went by Hendry, or the person writing the will wrote his name as Hendry.

Henry did live in a Scots-Irish community in Rowan County, North Carolina, near Salisbury. The settlers there included Scots-Irish and Scottish settlers. Some came directly from Scotland or Ireland, but most seem to have come from Pennsylvania, traveling along The Great Wagon Road. Henry's daughter, Mary Elizabeth Barkley (my ancestor), married Thomas Cowan who originated in Pennsylvania. The Cowans moved to Pennsylvania from Chirnside, Scotland.

Here is a bit about Henry and Mary's family, and Henry's will.