Biographical Sketch of BARNARD/BERNARD Family (1881); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Candace Roth 
<clroth1229@earthlink.net>.

Copyright 2004.  All Rights Reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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From THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, by Futhey and Cope (1881);

pg. 473

BARNARD, or BERNARD.-This is one of the most ancient of surnames, being first 
taken from Roche-Bernard, an ancient fortified manor-house of Normandy; it had 
been in use, however, as a baptismal name since the eighth century, and 
originally derived from northern mythology, signifying boldness; literally, 
bear's heart, from Bern, the bear, and the courage it implies.  The French 
pronounce it Bair-nar, and the English broadly on the first syllable, as Bdr 
nrd, just as they call Derby 'Darby,' and Bertram 'Bartrm.'

The ancestor of the Chester and Delaware County family of this name was Richard 
Barnard (1), who served as a grand juror at Chester, A.D. 1686, and died 
previous to May 5, 1698.  He owned land near Chester as early as 1683.
Letters of administration on his estate were, on May 11, 1698, granted by 
William Markham in Philadelphia to the widow, Frances Barnard.  There is a 
tradition among the descendants of this man that he came from Sheffield, 
Yorkshire, England, when a young man, and that he accompanied William Penn, but 
this is, as yet, unsupported by evidence.  There is an English tradition that he 
left England about 1642.  Attempts have been made to harmonize these traditions, 
and letters, now in the possession of a member of the family, from a gentleman 
of the same name in the Parliament of England who is a grandson of Sir Francis 
Bernard, colonial Governor of New Jersey and Massachusetts, declare that 
"Governor Penn was well known to our family.  I have great reason to think that 
you may claim descent from Richard of Astwood, who in the troubled reign of 
Charles I. is supposed to have emigrated.  The family were well acquainted with 
Admiral Sir William Penn, the father of the celebrated Mr. Penn, the founder of 
the State of Pennsylvania, and if Richard had already emigrated he might easily 
have been attracted to the new settlement where a family friend presided.  I am 
fully aware that some of our family settled in America, which might probably 
have induced my grandfather to seek that appointment."  These letters were 
followed by a pedigree, commencing the Godfrey Bernard, A.D.
1240, and a photograph of the correspondent, which bears a resemblance to Simon 
Barnard, of Philadelphia, James Barnard, of West Marlborough, and some of the 
Barnards of an older generation.

The late compilation of John Camden Hotten, entitled "Original Lists of Persons 
of Quality, Emigrants, Religious Exiles, &c," published in 1874, contains a 
ship's list in which the name of Richard Barnard, aged twenty-three, appears as 
having sailed Feb. 17, 1634, from London to Barbadoes in the ship "Hopewell," 
Capt. Thomas Wood...It is now thought that this is the same individual.

Richard Barnard (1), the immigrant above alluded to, left seven children, 
namely, Richard (2), b. 1684; d. 1767, m. Ann, daughter of Abiah Taylor, about 
1715; settled near Doe Run, West Marlborough township, then known as "Hilltown," 
where he had previously purchased between 400 and 500 acres of the Simcock 
tract, some of which is still held by his descendants.  He also purchased in 
1726 about 200 acres in Newlin, part of the Nathaniel Newlin tract, also a tract 
adjoining in the township of East Marlborough, the same now in the occupancy of 
Charles Barnard, Milton Barnard, descendants, and James Gawthrop, John Huey, 
Courtland Michener, William Thorne, et al.  He was the ancestor of all the 
Chester County branch of the Barnard family.

Thomas Barnard, brother of the former (died at Chester 1732), purchased his 
father's lands in Delaware County about A.D. 1712, married, first, Elizabeth 
Swain, of Newark; second, Sarah Carter, of Chester, and be became the progenitor 
of the Delaware County branch, which is now extinct in the male line, the late 
Maj-Gen. Isaac D. Barnard being of this line, of whom hereafter.

The other children of the first settler were Sarah, m. Joseph Coburn; Mary, m. 
Jacob Roman; Lucy, m. Thomas Dutton; Lydia, m. Daniel Walker; Rebecca, m. Enoch 
Flower.

Dr. Smith, in his "History of Delaware County," says that Richard the first was 
a Quaker, as all his children appear to have been.  If this be correct, he must 
have become so after his settlement in this State, as George Fox did not begin 
to preach his doctrine until 1648, or several years after Richard Barnard had 
left England.  However that may be, it is certain that most of his descendants 
have been Friends...