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57th Regiment,
Alabama Infantry
Riley Barnes enlisted in the 57th Regiment on May 5, 1863 at Troy, Alabama and was listed as a First Sargent in Company G. (Source:Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama, National Archives microfilm, posted at http://www.knology.net/~toniab/57th.rtf) The rank may be due to the facts that Riley could read and write. He was a farmer, store keeper and school teacher.
First Sargent, Company G, Riley Barnes was killed July 23, 1864, in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek in Atlanta. Family oral history relates that he was killed by 'friendly fire'. His burial place is unknown. A headstone is in New Hope Baptist Church cemetery, Covington County, Alabama. That stone inscription states that Riley was in Company L of the 57th regiment.
Coleman Barnes was the elder son of Riley and served in the 15th Alabama Infantry.
15th Alabama Infantry: BARNES, Coleman, Pvt., Co. "E", Enlisted, 15 Aug 62; wounded, Chickamauga, and retired; age 18. Coleman lived, married and built a house on Clear Creek on land homesteaded by his father and grandfather, John Barnes. The house he built still stands in 2004.
Coleman's grave is in New Hope Cemetery.
Data from 1860 Federal Census, Covington County, Alabama
471/471 Riley BARNES 35 m teacher of O.S. 1000 3146 GA
Elizabeth P. 29 f SC
Coleman 10 m AL
Lugenie E. 9 f
Nancy 7 f
Heneretter 5 f
William R. 3 m
George W. 1 m
Data from 1860 Federal Census, Covington County, Alabama
Key to 1866 census: abcdefghij-klmonpqrst-A_,B_,C_, where a-j are males & k-t are
females, and a&k=-10, b&l=10-20,
c&m=20-30, d&n=30-40, e&o=40-50, f&p=50-60, g&q=60-70, h&r=70-80, i&s =80-90, j&t=90-
100; A=soldiers killed,
B=soldiers died of sickness, C=disabled soldiers, each capital A,B,or C is followed by
the number of applicable soldiers for
that category in said household, ex. A1 means 1 soldier killed in war.
E.P. BARNES 3100100000-1201000000-A1
1870 Covington County, Alabama Census
9/9 E.P. BARNES 38 f SC
Colman 20 m AL
Elisabeth 18 f
Nancy 16 f
Heneratta 13 f
William R. 12 m
George 10 m
Jefferson 9 m
Notes of interest from information posted on the following web site:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~alcoffee/faircloth.html (June, 2004) First Sargent, Company G, Riley Barnes being killed in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek in Atlanta.
This family of Faircloth migrated over several years from North Carolina, probably Sampson county. After the death and burial of its patriarch John Faircloth, Sr. about 1823 in Sumter County, South Carolina, his sons and their families moved on into Henry County, in southeast Alabama.
By 1830, Rayford Faircloth and his young family had moved northward into the newly formed Pike County. James Floyd Faircloth was born about 1829, either in Henry County before the move or in Pike County, the youngest son in the family of five children. In December 1832, this portion of Pike County was split off into the newly created Barbour County and, although they did not move, the 1840 census shows them in Barbour County.
By 1850, they had purchased land in Coffee County and moved there. Probably in late 1850 or 1851, James Floyd Faircloth married Temperance "Tempy" Lee, daughter of Timothy Lee and Elizabeth Murray Lee.
Tempy was born in the Williamsburg District of South Carolina and her family had moved to Georgia and later to Louisiana. The 1850 census shows Tempy in Union Parish, Louisiana with her mother and unmarried siblings. Later in 1850, she and her younger brother Joshua "Dock" Lee returned from living with her family in Louisiana to Coffee County, Alabama. Their youngest brother, John Lee, and sister, Nancy (Lee) Law were living in Coffee County at the time. The 1850 census for Coffee County shows Nancy and Isaiah Thomas Law living as neighbors to Rayford Faircloth, Jr., brother of James Floyd Faircloth. Perhaps Nancy told her sister about the eligible young James Floyd Faircloth, who was still living in the area with his parents. Tempy was a few years older than Floyd and was about 25 when they married. If they had not known each other before 1850, it must have been a whirlwind courtship.
In four deeds between December 1853 and December 1855, James Floyd acquired 280 acres in Coffee County for their homestead and farm. Their four children were born between December 1853 and about 1861 in Coffee County. They enjoyed the fruits of their labors on their family farm until the Civil War was into its second year. Then things began to go badly for the South, and the Confederacy began taking older family men into its armed forces.
James Floyd was mustered into the 57th Alabama Infantry from Coffee County, Alabama on the 10th of February, 1863 under command of Capt. Jesse O'Neal of Company G. His brother, Rayford Faircloth, Jr. was also taken and died in the war. Floyd was about 34 years of age, his baby daughter was about 2 years old, and the oldest son about 10 at the time. From that time on, Tempy was the head of the family. James Floyd never returned from the war.
On July 25, 1863, James Floyd was appointed from the ranks to 1st Sergeant of Company G, 57th Regiment. He served in that capacity until he was captured near Nashville by Union forces on December 16, 1864. He was transported to Louisville, Kentucky, thence to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he died of pneumonia on Feb. 14, 1865. James Floyd Faircloth is buried at Columbus, Ohio in the West Gate Park Confederate Cemetery, in grave no. 1234.
New Hope Church
Contributed by: Stephanie Sanders, MAY 2000
Part 1 ---- Area History
Pages 1-2
The history of a church is the history of the people of the community in which the churches located. A brief background story of
New Hope Community is given in order to help in understanding the development of the church.
In the beginning, the Creek Indians lived in southeast Alabama. With the coming of the white man it became disputed territory
between England and Spain. After the region became United States property, Alabama was a part of the Mississippi Territory
until it became a state in 1819.
The southeast section of Covington County was the last area in the county to be settled. The land along the Conecuh River
system had been sold and thriving communities had developed there some thirty years earlier.
When the southeast area was opened around 1840, purchases were few. The land was wet and swampy and had been
government rated as unsuited for farming. Sales were limited to veterans and veterans' widows. The settlers dreaded "pond
fever" (Malaria). They knew that there was a relation between the ponds and the fever, but didn't know that the culprit was the
Anopheles Mosquito. However, the principle obstacle to purchase was the price, $5.00 per acre. The land was opened to the
public about 1850, but prior to 1854 not a single purchase had been made in T2-R17E where New Hope Church is located.
Finally, on September 13, 1854, the government reduced the price of land to $1.25, $.75, $.25, and in some instances , to
$.121/2 per acre. People rushed in to buy the land, Indians and mosquitoes not withstanding.
The first purchase was by James Dorman on October 17, 1854. By December of that year E.U.S. Shorter, Charles
Johnson , Thomas Eagerton, William Holley, Daniel Hunt, Thomas Hobbs, Joe Almond, Stephen Holloway, James
Butler, Joseph Aplin and George Sowell had bought. Early in 1855 purchases were made by John Rigdon, Riley
Barnes, Lounier Lowery, Thomas Sanders , Stephen Grimes; in 1956-1858 Thomas Watkind, John Barnes , John
D. McRae and George B. Parrish had made purchases. By the end of 1858 almost all the land bordering Clear Creek and
its tributaries had been claimed.
Among the families who settled in adjacent townships were the George McLeods, Jordans, McLindons, Musselwhites,
Johns, Fraziers, Tuckers, Thames Petersons, Martins and others. Those people are mentioned in the early church
minutes.
The original families of the New Hope settlers were from Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia. Often a couple might settle some
place and rear its children only to have them migrate farther sought and west. In large families it was common for the children to
be born in different states along the route.
The main routes followed crossed the Chattachoochee River at Columbus, Georgia. Once across the river the people followed
the high ground between the big rivers. The most famous of the routes was the Conecuh Indian Trail which ran through Russell
and Bullock counties, between the Conecuh and Pea Rivers through Pike and Crenshaw counties and between Conecuh and
Yellow Rivers in Covington county and on to the south.
Above the head of Yellow River, a trail branched off the Conecuh Trail and ran south into Florida. It entered what is now
Covington county at the northeast corner of T4-R18E above Opp, passed through the New Hope area, the Chapel Hill area
and entered Florida at Natural Bridge. U.S. Highway 331 follows approximately the route to a short distance south of Green
Bay.
Some of the families moved between Choctawhatcheee and Chattachoochee Rivers into what is now Barbour, Henry and Dale
counties.
Clear Creek is sustained by an underground supply of water embedded in limestone rock and sand. The water is clear and cold
and, in early days , was unpolluted. It surfaces in cool springs all along its course to Yellow River. It was this supply of good
water that led the people to settle along the creek's banks.
Part III Clear Creek missionary Baptist Church Becomes New Hope Missionary Baptist Church - 1865.
Page 8-11
The first minutes after the war ended are dated June 3,1865. They are entered on the same page as the last recorded service
before the war. March 10, 1862. Bro F.L. Leard was moderator at the service and Br. Enoch Jordan was church clerk.
Returning by letter that day were Robert Tucker, Enoch Jordan, Elizabeth Jordan, Sarah Ann Tucker and Elizabeth Parrish.
Note that Robert Tucker, one of the four charter members is back.
During a revival meeting in September, 1865, the name of the church was changed to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
No reason is given for the change. One supposition is that it was changed in honor of the men who lost their lives in a fierce
"Battle of New Hope Church" in Georgia. there is no verification of the possibility, however. Members received during the
revival were: by letter, Martha Powell; by experience, George W. McLeod, J.L. Holloway , George Jordan, Susan
McLeod, Pamela Barnes, Mary Mathew, Nancy Palatz and Lizina Barnes. Bro. John A Tucker was ordained as a
deacon.
Rev. George W. Kierce was the pastor at that time and served until June 1866. Wiley W. Martin was the church clerk.
It was the practice in those days to send representatives to other churches in the Association a t regular services. Hence, the
practice at services "to invite brothern to seats with us." A typical example of those visits to New Hope is recorded in the
minutes of September 1, 1866.
"From Mt. Pleasant (North Creek) Bro. Caylor.
From Shady Grove (Florala) Bro. Parker.
From Chapel Hill, Bro. W.F. Martin
In August 1867, J.L. Hollaway, W.F. Martin and J.B. Butler were appointed as a committee to write a New Decorum.
That Decorum is not contained in the minutes.
Wiley W. Maritn and C. W. Martin served as church clerks 1866-1867,
New Hope Organizes Its First Sunday School
On February 18, 1871 under the leadership of Rev. P.D. Bulger, New Hope organized a Sunday School. Officers and
teachers were as follows:
P.D. Bulger, Superintendent
Wiley W. Martin, Recording Scribe
C.W. Martin, Leader of Music
C.W. Martin, First Male Class
L.H.D. Martin, Teacher, First Female Class
W.W. Watkins, Teacher, Second Male Class
N. L. Martin, Teacher, Second Female Class
1871-1875- Pastors were P.D. Bulger, W.f. Martin and John Caylor. Clerks from 1865-1875 were J.B. Tucker, J.P.
Collier, J.M.. Burlison, W.J.. Martin, P.D. Bulger, Moses Smith and C.C. Parish.
At the January 31, 1874 meeting, money was collected with which to purchase a Bible and a hymn book. 1874- J.M. Martin
was appointed treasurer. $2.50 was collected for Association Minutes and $10.50 for missionary work.
The last church minutes contained in the original Minute Book of New Hope Baptist Church are dated June 4, 1876. W.F.
Martin was moderator; J.P. Collier was clerk. Minutes of the church are missing for the next forty years. It is thought that the
minutes book was lost when the church clerk's house burned. We know from other sources that the church continued.
1883 - Zion Association Minutes - P.D. Bulger, pastor.
1891 - P.D. Bulger, G. W. Mcleod, clerks
1898- Sardis Association - J.C. Johnson, pastor, G.W. McLeod, clerk.
There are no further Association record until 1908.
To be continued........ I have 4 more pages.....Stephanie
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