John Philip Sebastian Barnhart (1758 - 1844)

Born 24 Jul 1758 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1844 at age 85 in Boggs Township, Centre, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Philip Barnhart served with Northumberland County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

Philip Barnhart is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A006545.

John Philip Sebastian Barnhart was baptized on January 7, 1759, at Falkner Swamp Reformed Church, New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.^[1] He commonly went by Philip. In his application for a pension for his Revolutionary War service, he stated he was born on July 24, 1757, in Philadelphia county, PA (now Montgomery County). He was the son of Johann Jacob Bernhard (1716 - 1784) and Maria Christina (Neumann) Bernhard (1715 - 1789).

Philip made his residence in Limerick Township, Philadelphia County, PA. He and his brother Henry served as a private in the Revolutionary War twice, for two months each term. Philip served with Captain Prutzmen and Captain Joyce under the command of Colonel Potts and Colonel Antes, both Pennsylvania Regiments. Philip applied for a pension after the war; however, it was rejected for less than six months of service. ^[2]

Philip's Federal Pension Application file for a pension includes several letters from people requesting information on his service and pension. Some descendants of his distinctly recalled him receiving a pension packet or pension pay. They were advised he was definitely denied a Federal level pension, but perhaps he had received a pension from Pennsylvania, which was sometimes granted through state legislation or other means. The Pennsylvania state archives site has an index of pensioners, and a Philip Barnhart is listed, with the pension starting in 1839 and ending in 1844.^[3] This is probably the same Philip. Still, it needs to be verified by reviewing the microfiche at the museum.

Philip is honored for his Patriotic Service by the Daughters of the American Revolution as ancestor #A006545. According to their records, his wife's name was Elizabeth Antes.^[4]

Applications for membership in the Society of the DAR have been made by the descendants of the sons of Philip and Elizabeth, including Philip A. Barnhart, who married Mary McGee; Henry Barnhart, who married Isabel Holt; Jacob Barnhart, who married Mary Holt; and of their daughters, Mary Barnhart, who married James McGee; Sarah Barnhart, who married James Watson Clark; Anne/Anna Barnhart, who married John Ross; Catherine Barnhart, who married Jacob Neff; and Betsy Barnhart, who married Lawrence Samuel Bathurst.

Philip married Elizabeth (Antes) Barnhart (1761-1845). on May 20, 1783, at Falkner Swamp Church in New Hanover, Montgomery, Pennsylvania. (It was Philadephia County at the time of their marriage.)

Philip died on April 3, 1844, and is buried in the Eagle Cemetery in Milesburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania.^[5] There is an extensive biography on his Find A Grave memorial, some of which does not agree with the DAR account.^[6] His Find A Grave memorial has a photograph of his headstone.

Researcher's Notes

It is likely that Philip was his Rufname, the name a person is normally known by. Typically, the first given name fulfills that role. In that case, the second given name (or: the remaining given names) is equivalent to a middle name in the Anglo-American tradition.

• It is not uncommon for someone to be commonly known by their second given name (i.e., by what appears to be the middle name). Occasionally multiple brothers share their first given name with their father and are differentiated by second names; this was more common in the past – Johann Sebastian Bach was probably known as "Sebastian" by his family. Sometimes (rarely), people decide later in life to change which of their names they call themselves by.

Records vary for his birth year; DAR records have 1757, Find a grave has 1758, and SAR applications all list 1756. However, Philip stated in his deposition in the application for a pension that he was born on July 24, 1757, in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, so that is the date chosen for this profile.

After the American Revolutionary War, Centre County was created on February 13, 1800, from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties; it was named for its central location in the state.

Sources

1. ↑ Hinke, William John, Church records of the Falckner [sic] Swamp Reformed Church, New Hanover Township, Montgomery County' Vol I and II, 1748-1854, p 12. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/413745/?offset=&return=1#page=21&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=bernhard
2. ↑ R546V; PA ARCH, 3RD SER, VOL 16, PP 596, 598
3. ↑ https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Revolutionary-War-Pension-Records.aspx?Paged=TRUE&p_ID=342&p_Title=Barnes&PageFirstRow=101&FilterField1=FL&FilterValue1=B&&&View={49865107-CAC5-4B97-9EC2-2109F2CEF8E6}
4. ↑ https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/default.cfm
5. ↑ http://www.passar.org/graves/patriots/barnhart.html
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #23045455

See also:

Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files for Philip Barnhart is available on Fold3 (requires subscription). https://www.fold3.com/image/11010292 or through The National Archives