Robert Barnhill emigrated from Donegal, in the north of Ireland, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his wife, one son, and three daughters, with their husbands and families, with a large number of other persons, being in all about three hundred. This emigration was under the direction of Colonel Alexander McNutt, the British Government agent. They came in the ship called the "Hopewell". She arrived in Halifax Harbor, October 9th, 1761, and the passengers were landed on what is now called McNab's Island. They had to remain about Halifax, during the winter, and in the spring of the year 1762 some of these people went to Windsor, some to Horton, some to Londonderry, some to Onslow, and some to Truro. They were sent out and supplied by the British Government. Mr. Barnhill and a number of his family settled in Chiganois, and were Grantees of the Township of Londonderry. His wife is said to be the first person that was buried on the Burying Island, in the Chiganois Marsh; the place is not now known. Rebecca, their eldest daughter, was married to Joseph Foster, and remained in Ireland.
John, their only son, was born in Ireland, in the year 1730, and Letitia Deyarmond, his wife, was born in the year 1734. They were married before they left Ireland. John, the eldest son of John and Letitia Barnhill, was born in the year 1762. He was married to Sarah, the eldest daughter of Joseph Crowe, Senr., and Esther Barnhill, his wife, about the year 1786. Esther, their eldest daughter, was born March 19th, 1787. She was married to Isaac Logan, of Cumberland County, March 22nd, 1810. They settled in Onslow, where she spent the remainder of her life. She died February 10th, 1853, aged 65 years. She left no children. Mr. Logan was married again to Martha, daughter of David Archibald, fourth, and Esther Cox, his wife, and widow of the late Jonathan Blanchard, December 5th, 1854. Mr. Logan died March 11th, 1872, aged 72 years.
Joseph, the oldest son of John and Sarah Barnhill, was born January 27th, 1794. He was married to Rebecca, the second daughter of Alexander and Rebecca Miller, of Truro, February 29th, 1816. They had five sons and two daughters. They settled on the farm on which their three sons, Alexander, Robert, and Charles, now reside, on the East side of the Chiganois River, where they reared their family and spent the remainder of their lives. He died March 15th, 1869 aged 75 years, and his wife died June 1st, 1843, aged 44 years.
James, the second son of John and Sarah Barnhill, was born June 24th, 1796. He was married to Esther, daughter of Timothy Putnam and Janet Hunter, his wife, March 17th, 1818. They had three sons and five daughters. Their son John was driving a team of oxen drawing marsh mud, on the 28th of April, 1848. He was riding in the cart, returning for a load, and fell, and the wheel ran over his body. He was taken up dead. He was fourteen years old at the time. Mrs. Barnhill died May 3rd, 1868, aged 73 years, and he was married again to Jane McKay, widow of the late John Sutherland, September 7th, 1871.
Alexander, the third son of John and Sarah Barnhill, was born February 28th, 1801. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Davison and Sarah Crowe, his wife, of Portaupique, November 27th, 1823. They had two sons and five daughters. He inherited a part of his father's farm. He died December 31st, 1857, aged 56 years.
Rebecca, the second daughter of John and Sarah Barnhill, was born August, 10th, 1803. She was married to Isaac Dickie, of Cornwallis, February 19th, 1826. They had three sons. They resided for a time in Onslow, where their eldest son, John B. Dickie, Esq., now resides. Mrs. Dickie died there suddenly, June 15th, 1847. Mr. Dickie was married again and removed to Cornwallis, where he died February 28th, 1858. John B. Dickie is now Custodes Rotulorum for the County of Colchester. Alexander, the second son of John Barnhill, Senr., and Letitia Deyarmond, was born in 1765. He was married to Alice, fourth daughter of Robert and Esther Hunter, in 1787. In 1786, John Barnhill purchased Robert Archibald's farm in Truro, also a part of David Whidden's farm. Both Mr. Barnhill and his son settled on these farms and spent their days there. The father died November 12th, 1813, aged 83 years. His wife died July 22nd, 1791, aged 57 years. Their son, Alexander died September 22nd, 1813, aged 47 years; his widow died December 22nd, 1831, aged 65 years. Letitia, the eldest daughter of Alexander and Alice Barnhill, was born in 1788. She was married to John Cummings in 1808. They had eight sons and two daughters. She died February 17th, 1854. Mr. Cummings died October 30th, 1862, aged 78 years. Thomas, the fourth son of John and Sarah Barnhill, was born August 8th, 1808. He was married to Maria Davison, November 6th, 1832. They had five sons and three daughters. He died suddenly, April 26th, 1870. John Barnhill's first wife died June 30th, 1825. He was married again to Letitia Crowe, June 1st, 1832. Isaac Logan, their son, was born, May 23rd, 1836. He was married to Hannah Lockhart, eldest daughter of Jacob and Eleanor Lynds, May 5th, 1858. They had two sons and two daughters. John Barnhill died October 23rd, 1847. His second wife died April 8th, 1839.
John, the son of Alexander and Alice Barnhill, was born August 5th, 1791. He was married to Nancy, second daughter of William Joyce and Mary Elliott, his wife, in the year 1817. He inherited his father's farm, and in the year 1816 he sold his house, and the interval lying on both sides of the Marsh road, and built his house up the Halifax road, where they spent the remainder of their days. They had four sons and three daughters. Mrs. Barnhill died March 11th, 1829, the same day their son Robert was born. He was married again to Sophia, the youngest daughter of dumb John Johnson, May 4th, 1835. They had two sons and four daughters. Mr. Barnhill died May 2nd, 1871, aged 79 years.
Esther, the second daughter of Alexander and Alice Barnhill, was born in Truro, September 25th, 1798. She was married to David V., eldest son of Joseph Crowe and Mary Vance, in the month of January, 1817. They had four sons and three daughters. They settled at Debert River. He died June 15th, 1868, and his widow died October 22nd, 1872, aged 74 years. Alice, the youngest daughter of Alexander and Alice Barnhill, was born July 18th, 1801. She was married to Joseph Wilson, of Masstown. They had two sons and three daughters. Mr. Wilson died June 6th, 1866, aged 77 years, and his first wife, Susannah Fletcher, of Debert, died July 30th, 1830.
