Barrow, Alexander

Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson

Alexander Barrow was born near Nashville, TN, on March 27, 1801, the son of Willie Barrow and his first wife, Jane Green.

Willie Barrow, a young man aged 25 years, emigrated from North Carolina to Tennessee in 1795, and settled near Nashville, where he became a prominent and successful planter. He was born on July 24, 1770, and died on June 7, 1825, as attested by the tombstone marking his grave. He married first to Jane Green of Kentucky, probably from Covington, as they visited relatives there.  Jane Green died in Virginia when her daughter was born. After her death, Willie Barrow married second to Ann H. Beck, who was born July 27, 1789, and died August 6, 1834. Willie Barrow and his second wife are buried in a cemetery in or near Nashville, Tennessee.

Willie Barrow and Jane Green were the parents of three children: Alexander Barrow, David Barrow and Jane Ann Barrow.

Willie Barrow and Ann H. Beck had four children: George Washington Barrow, Willie Macajah Barrow, Albert G. Barrow and John E. Barrow.

Alexander Barrow married Mary Ann Barrow, sister of David Barrow, and daughter of Bartholomew Barrow [1766-1852], and his second wife Beththier Brantly (1777-1873), who came to Louisiana in 1820 from North Carolina. Bartholomew Barrow was the last one of his immediate family to move to Louisiana, as he had been preceded to West Feliciana by his mother, Olivia Ruffin (died 1803) widow of William Barrow (died 1787), and his brothers William, Bennett, Robert and Ruffin, as well as his sisters Ann, Sarah and Mary, all of whom (except Bennett who followed in 1816) journeyed in covered wagons from Edgecombe County, North Carolina, via Tennessee and Natchez, Mississippi, to Feliciana in 1798, where they settled, taking out Spanish grants, and soon began the erection of the first Barrow home in Louisiana, "Locust Grove", which is now known as "Highland" plantation.

Alexander Barrow and his wife, Mary Ann Barrow, were the parents of three children: Alexander Barrow II, Willie Macajah Barrow, and Jane Barrow.

Alexander Barrow II married Effie Cockerell, and they had one child: Alexander Barrow III. Willie Macajah Barrow married Martha Pilcher, and had three children: Merritt Barrow, Nannie Barrow, and Ratliff Barrow. Jane Barrow married Thomas G. Sparks and they were the parents of the following children: Willie Sparks, Isabelle Sparks, Tom Sparks, Mary Eleanor Sparks, Effie Sparks, Mattie Sparks, Jane Sparks, Lisse Sparks, and Lou Gale Sparks. Alexander Barrow had many great grandchildren also.

Alexander Barrow's brother, David Barrow, married and had a son, David N. Barrow, and a grandson, David N. Barrow II, who lived at Plaquemine, La.

Alexander Barrow's sister, Jane Ann Barrow, married Judge Henry Crabb, of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. They were the parents of three children: Henry Alexander Crabb, Jane Ann Crabb, and Mary Eleanor Crabb. The latter married Robert James Barrow I, of "Rosebank" plantation, West Feliciana, Louisiana. Their son, Robert James Barrow II, married Sarah Louise Barrow, daughter of Col. Robert Hillard Barrow and Mary Eliza Barrow, the latter a daughter of David Barrow of "Afton Villa", whose sister, Mary Ann Barrow, was the wife of Hon. Alexander Barrow.

Alexander Barrow had four half-brothers: George Washington Barrow (1817-1866), who was United States Minister to Portugal 1841-1844; editor of the Nashville Republican Banner 1845-1847; and was elected from the State of Tennessee as a Whig to the Thirtieth United States Congress 1848-1849. Willie Macajah Barrow (1810-1853) married Cordelia Johnson (1816-1845), and were the parents of Cordelius Johnson Barrow (1845-1924) who married Maratha Robertson. The last two became the parents of Hon. Wylie Macajah Barrow (1874-1934) of Baton Rouge, La. John E. Barrow, Indian Agent at St. Joseph Missouri, between there and Salt Lake City, who later went to New York City and became quite wealthy.  Albert G. Barrow and Miss Mary J. Swift were married January 11, 1838, by the Rev.. J. L. Mullon, pastor of St. Patrick's Church of New Orleans. Albert G. Barrow died in West Feliciana parish, July 25, 1842, leaving his wife and their only child, Bennett H. Barrow. This son later moved to South Louisiana and established a family.

The writer believes that Willie Barrow, ancestor of these Tennessee Barrows, who left North Carolina in 1795, was related by blood to William Barrow, ancestor of the Louisiana Barrows, whose widow and children came from North Carolina about the same time. That they were related by marriage is proved through the marriage of Alexander Barrow I and Mary Ann Barrow of "Afton Villa" plantation, West Feliciana, Louisiana; and Alexander Barrow's niece, Mary Eleanor Crabb, who married Robert James Barrow I, of "Rosebank" plantation. Later Alexander Barrow's granddaughter, Mary Eleanor Sparks, married a Louisiana Barrow. Ruffin Bennett Barrow, son of Colonel Robert Hilliard Barrow and his wife, Mary Eliza Barrow, of "Rosale" plantation.

Source: Early Feliciana Politics (C) 1936
Louisiana State Courier Jan 1985
Compiled by: Annette Carpenter Womack, editor
Typed by: Gaytha Carver Thompson