52 Cousins~Barbara Dry Harkey: A Pioneer Woman's Journey from Carolina to Arkansas

 The “52 Cousins” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of Barbara Dry Harkey: (19 Jan. 1831- 6 Aug. 1888) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

Barbara Dry Harkey: A Pioneer Woman's Journey from Carolina to Arkansas

Early Life in North Carolina

Barbara Dry was born on January 19, 1812, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to Phillip Wiley Dry (1759-1837) and Catherine Köppel (1771-1830). Growing up in the piedmont region of North Carolina during the early 19th century, Barbara came of age in a rural farming community where German-descended families like hers had established deep roots.

Marriage and Family

On October 7, 1831, nineteen-year-old Barbara married Adam Eli Harkey in Cabarrus County. Adam, born May 24, 1807, was the son of Jacob H. Harkey and Catherine Teeter. The marriage bond was signed by Jacob Harkey, likely Adam's father, serving as bondsman—a common practice of the time.

Barbara and Adam built their life together in Cabarrus County, where they welcomed seven children:

Elizabeth Hulda Harkey (born November 18, 1832)

Jacob Simon Harkey (born February 5, 1835; died November 19, 1907)

Sarah J. Harkey (born November 11, 1835; died January 1, 1887) - married James Montgomery Moore (1838-1886) in 1859

Abraham Harkey (born about 1838)

Elias E. Harkey (born about 1843)

Martin M. Harkey (born about 1845)

Julia Cardico Harkey (born September 27, 1850; died August 5, 1933) - married J. E. Westmoreland

Life in Antebellum North Carolina

The 1850 census captured the family during their years in Cabarrus County. Adam, then 43, worked as a farmer with Barbara, 38, managing their household of growing children. Their home was likely a modest farmstead typical of the region, where the family would have raised crops and livestock to sustain themselves.

The Move West to Arkansas

Sometime during the 1850s, the Harkey family joined the westward migration, settling in Chickalah, Yell County, Arkansas. This move reflected a broader pattern of families seeking new opportunities and cheaper land in the expanding frontier. The 1860 census found them established in their new Arkansas home, though the family was smaller now as older children had begun lives of their own.

The Civil War Years (1861-1865)

The outbreak of the Civil War brought profound changes to the Harkey family. Adam enlisted as a Private in Company H of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, joining the Confederate forces. The war years of 1861-1864 must have been extraordinarily difficult for Barbara, managing the farm and family while her husband served in the conflict that tore the nation apart.

Tragedy struck on November 4, 1864, when Adam Eli Harkey died in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas. He was just 57 years old. He was buried the same day in what is now Little Rock National Cemetery, in grave #209. Barbara found herself a widow at age 52, facing an uncertain future in a war-ravaged region.

Widowhood and Later Years

After Adam's death, Barbara lived with her son Jacob Simon Harkey and his family. The 1870 census shows her in Chickalah, Yell County, living in Jacob's household. He had married Permelia A., and they were raising their children while providing a home for Barbara.

By 1880, the family had moved to Shoal Creek in Logan County, Arkansas. The census that year again found Barbara, now 68, living with Jacob and Permelia's growing family. She spent her final years surrounded by grandchildren, having survived the hardships of migration, war, and widowhood.

Barbara Dry Harkey passed away on August 6, 1888, in Yell County, Arkansas, at the age of 76. She was laid to rest in Elizabeth Hall Cemetery in Logan County, far from the North Carolina home where she'd been born and raised, but near the family she'd helped build in Arkansas.

Historical Context

Barbara's life spanned a remarkable period of American history. Born during the War of 1812, she witnessed the nation's westward expansion, lived through the turmoil of the Civil War, and saw the Reconstruction era that followed. Her journey from North Carolina to Arkansas mirrored that of thousands of families seeking new opportunities in the developing South and West. The loss of her husband to the Civil War was a tragedy shared by countless families, both North and South, during America's bloodiest conflict. Through it all, Barbara persevered, maintaining her family through extraordinary challenges and living to see her children and grandchildren established in their adopted Arkansas homeland.

Barbara Dry Harkey is my 1st Cousin 5X Removed

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1. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com: accessed 3 October 2020); Memorial page for Barbara C. Dry Harkey; (19 January 1812–6 August 1888); Find a Grave memorial # 63497308, Citing Elizabeth Hall Cemetery; Logan County, Arkansas, USA.

2. 1870 U. S. Census, Yell County, Arkansas, population schedule, Chickalah, Yell, Arkansas, Page: #518B (Stamped); Line:17, Dwelling: #30, Family: #29, Household of Simeon HARKEY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: online August 2025); citing NARA publication Roll: M593_.

3. 1880 U. S. Census, Logan County, Arkansas, population schedule, Shoal Creek, Logan, Arkansas, enumeration district (ED) 95, Page: #182 (Stamped); Line:38, Dwelling: #8, Family: #8, Household of Jacob S. HARKEY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: online August 2025); citing NARA publication Roll: T9.

6. "North Carolina, Marriages Record, 1741-2011," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: Viewed 2 October 2020), Marriage: Eli Harkey and Barbara Dry, Marriage Date: 7 Oct 1831.

7. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Adam Eli Harkey (24 May 1807–5 November 1864), Memorial # 3135005.

8. 1850 U. S. Census, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, population schedule, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Page: 482B(Stamped), Line 28, Dwelling 1236, Family 1236, Household of Eli HARKEY; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 3 October 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, Roll 622.

9. 1860 U. S. Census, Yell County, Arkansas, population schedule, Chickalah, Yell County, Arkansas, Page: 1063(Stamped); Line 2, Dwelling 1133, Family 433, Household of Eli Harkey; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com: viewed 3 Oct 12020); citing NARA publication Roll: M653_48.

10. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/: accessed 3 October 2020), entry for Eli HARKEY, Private; Company 'H', 3rd Arkansas Cavalry; Confederate.

Aunt & Uncle~Catherine David Lewis: A Colonial Life

The “Aunt & Uncle” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database.  The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography is of Catherine David Lewis(1688-1747) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:

 Catherine David Lewis: A Colonial Life (1688-1747)

Early Life and Family Origins

Catherine David was born on October 18, 1688, in Merion Hills, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, during the early colonial period when Pennsylvania was still known as British America. She came from a Welsh Quaker family that had emigrated to the New World seeking religious freedom and new opportunities.

Her father, Morgan David (1622-1694), originally hailed from Lantwidroyde, Glamorgan, Wales, and likely arrived in America around 1686, possibly aboard the ship Vine. He settled in Merion Township, Pennsylvania, where he established his family among the Welsh Quaker community. Morgan died when Catherine was only six years old, passing away in December 1694.

Catherine's mother, Catherine Howell (1660-1741), was a remarkable woman who lived a long life by colonial standards, reaching the age of 81. After Morgan's death, Catherine Howell married twice more—first to Evan Harry in November 1697, and later to Thomas Thomas after 1723. She outlived all three husbands and died on May 25, 1741, in Pencader Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware.

Catherine had several siblings, including her sister Elizabeth David Morris (born 1691) and her brother David David (1694-1759). She would remain close to her brothers throughout her life, particularly David and John, with whom she would later make an important journey.

Growing Up in Quaker Pennsylvania

Catherine spent her formative years in Merion Township, a Welsh Quaker settlement established in the 1680s as part of William Penn's "Holy Experiment." Her birth was carefully recorded in the Quaker meeting records, noting she was "ye Daughter of Morgan David and Catharin his Second Wife" born on "ye Eighteenth of ye Eighth Second month"—reflecting the Quaker practice of using numbers rather than traditional month names to avoid pagan associations.

Life in colonial Pennsylvania during the late 1600s and early 1700s was challenging but filled with opportunity. The Welsh Quakers formed tight-knit communities, supporting one another through the difficulties of frontier life. Catherine would have grown up learning the values of simplicity, honesty, and community service that were central to Quaker beliefs.

The Move to Delaware (1716)

Around 1716, when Catherine was about 28 years old, she made a significant life change. Together with her brothers David and John, she migrated from Merion Township, Pennsylvania, to Pencader Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware. This move reflected the pattern of colonial expansion as families sought new land and opportunities beyond the original Pennsylvania settlements.

The journey from Pennsylvania to Delaware, though not tremendously far by today's standards, would have been a considerable undertaking in the early 18th century. The siblings were establishing themselves in a new community, building new homes, and creating new connections while maintaining their Quaker faith and Welsh heritage.

Marriage and Married Life

Shortly after settling in Delaware, Catherine married Griffith Lewis (died 1731), a weaver by trade who lived in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County. Griffith's profession as a weaver was respectable and necessary work in colonial society, as textiles were essential for clothing, bedding, and household goods.

Their marriage, which likely took place around 1716 or 1717, appears to have been childless. This wasn't uncommon in colonial America, where couples sometimes struggled with infertility or infant mortality. Despite having no children, Catherine and Griffith built a life together in their Delaware community for approximately fourteen years.

Widowhood and Later Years

Catherine's life took another turn when Griffith became ill in late 1730. He wrote his will on December 31, 1730, naming his wife Catherine and a nephew, Philip Thom. The absence of any children mentioned in his will confirms the couple remained childless. Griffith died in early January 1731, and his will was probated on January 15, 1731.

At age 42, Catherine found herself a widow in colonial Delaware. She would live another sixteen years as a widow, managing her own affairs and property—a challenging position for a woman in the 18th century, though Quaker communities generally provided better support for widows than many other colonial societies.

Final Years and Legacy

By November 1746, Catherine had become "very sick and weak in body," though she remained "of perfect mind and memory." On November 8, 1746, at age 58, she summoned witnesses to record her last will and testament. Her will provides fascinating insight into her life and values.

Catherine left bequests to religious figures, including the Reverend Owen Thomas the sum of ten pounds & likewise give and bequeath to the Rev'd David Davice thr sum of two pounds, reflecting her continued connection to her faith community. She also remembered Philip Thomas with five shillings and made arrangements for the children of Philip and Sarah Thomas to inherit her lands and property.

Notably, Catherine named Sarah Thomas as her sole executrix and left the distribution of property to certain of Philip and Sarah's children at Sarah's discretion—a remarkable show of trust in another woman during an era when men typically handled such matters.

Catherine died before April 1, 1747, in Pencader Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware. Her will was probated on April 1, 1747, with Jonathan Evans and John Lewis providing sworn testimony that they had witnessed her sign the document. Interestingly, Sarah Thomas renounced her role as executrix, and letters of administration were granted to John Lewis instead.

Historical Context

Catherine's life spanned a fascinating period in American colonial history. She was born just seven years after William Penn founded Pennsylvania, lived through the reigns of multiple British monarchs, and witnessed the steady growth of colonial settlements. The Quaker communities in which she lived were known for their industriousness, their relatively progressive treatment of women, and their peaceful relations with Native Americans.

As a woman in colonial America, Catherine had fewer legal rights than men, yet her ability to own property as a widow, write her own will, and choose how to distribute her estate shows the somewhat better position Quaker women held compared to women in other colonial communities.

Though Catherine left no children to carry on her name, her life represents thousands of colonial women who helped build America's early communities through their daily work, their faith, and their resilience in the face of frontier hardships.

Catherine David Lewis lived through nearly six decades of colonial American history, from the establishment of Pennsylvania's Quaker settlements to the mid-18th century. Her life, carefully documented in Quaker meeting records, wills, and probate documents, gives us a window into the experiences of Welsh Quaker women in early America.

 Catherine David Lewis is my 6th Great Grand Aunt.