Covington County AlArchives Biographies.....Barrow, David S. 1828 - living in 1893
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 17, 2004, 4:36 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    DAVID S. BARROW, planter and lumberman of Beat No. 6, was born near
Pensacola, Fla., in 1828. He is a son of John G. and Catsie Ann (Dunn) Barrow,
the former a native of Georgia and the latter a native of South Carolina. When
yet a boy, John G. Barrow left home without having received any education and
went to Pensacola, Fla., and there found work in a livery stable and hotel. He
afterward married the widow Gainer (Miss Dunn). In about 1831, when our subject
was three years old, his parents brought him to Covington county and settled in
the woods near old Montezuma, the old county seat, where his father engaged in
stock raising for some years, and later removed to Montezuma, and there engaged
in the hotel business. After some years he returned to farming, milling and
stock raising. The subject still owns the old mill site and operates a mill
there. Mr. Barrow then devoted his time to the improvement of his farm, and
spent the rest of his life upon it, driving his stock to different places to
market. He died in February, 1858, about fifty-seven years old. He was one of
the very first white settlers in this part of the country, living here several
years before the Indians were removed, and being engaged in several expeditions
against them. Mr. Barrow was a thoroughgoing, energetic and prosperous business
man, and though of limited education, he was yet of sound judgment and was
selected for office by his fellow-citizens several times, serving in the office
of county commissioner for some years. He was a Missionary Baptist several
years. Mrs. Barrow died in 1863. Of her people nothing is known. David S. Barrow
was the third in a family of four sons and four daughters, viz.: Catsie Ann,
deceased wife of Joshua Dean; Jacob G., of Conecuh county, served nearly all
through the late war, was captured in Florida, and after a long imprisonment on
Ship Island, served in the army of Virginia till the close of the war; the
subject; Mary, wife of David Foshee, of Conecuh; Caroline, wife of Wiley Padget,
both deceased, he dying during the war; Sarah Jane, wife of William J. Riley,
both deceased; James M., deceased, and John J., who served all through the war
and was neither wounded nor captured. The subject was reared in the wilds of
Covington county, with no educational advantages. There was nothing in the
neighborhood to read. According to his method of making a comparison between
then and now, a child of today has better advantages along the public highway or
along a mill path, where he can occasionally pick up a piece of newspaper or a
cigarette box, than he had when a boy. He began life for himself upon attaining
his majority, but remained under his father's charge and command until his
father's death. He engaged in farming and merchandising and for some years ran a
ferry. He married, in 1849, Sarah K., daughter of Ransom L. and Sarah Dean, both
natives of Georgia. They came to Conecuh county at a very early day, and Mr.
Dean was the first sheriff of that county, where his wife died January 27, 1863,
and Mr. Dean died April 28, 1848. John G. Barrow was a farmer and school
teacher, and educated his children at home. He was in comfortable circumstances
when the war came on, but like thousands of others, lost heavily during the
conflict. At his death he left nothing for his children. Mrs. Barrow was born in
Conecuh county, and has had nine children, viz.: Zenobia, deceased wife of E.
McKeever; Sarah, wife of S. A. Jones; Jephtha D., John Julian, Ella G., Eldora
D. Three died in infancy. Mr. Barrow has lived in his present neighborhood for
over sixty years and is one of the county's best known citizens. He is an
extensive land owner, and has followed farming and milling all his life. He owns
over 3,000 acres of fine timbered land, all of which he acquired by his own
efforts. He still owns the old mill site where his father built two mills, the
subject also having built two on the same site. He has recently opened up a fine
place where he has excellent improvements. Early in the war he put a substitute
in the field, paying him $2,500, but who afterward left, and then our subject
was commissioned a captain by the state. He then recruited a company of seventy
men, took them to Mobile as their captain, and continued in the recruiting
service until the close of the war, a very dangerous line of service. He has
been county commissioner six years since the war, and has frequently been
solicited to run for office, but has as often declined. He was the first man
made a Mason in this county and was a charter member of Fairmount lodge, No.
238, of which he was secretary for some years. He stands high as a member of the
lodge. Mrs. Barrow has been a member of the Missionary Baptist church for many
years. Mr. Barrow is doubtless the oldest resident of the county and well
remembers the incidents of pioneer days. He is also very fond of reciting the
history of early life in the county, and has a good memory and an extensive fund
of anecdote and reminiscence. He is a very entertaining conversationalist and is
very pleasing to the young.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 744-746



This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/

File size: 5.7 Kb