HENRY ADAM BARNHISEL (1776-1824)

Even though Henry's life was short, it was full and prosperous. He was born on the 18th of October 1776 in Albany Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was baptized at the Bethel Corner Church in Albany Twp. on the 16th of November 1776. 

Some Barnhisel relatives participated in the Revolutionary War, to include Henry's 10 year old brother, Jacob Barnhisel. Sometime before 1796, the Barnhisel family moved to Cumberland County where poor Jacob, at age 30, was thrown from his horse and later died from his injuries. In 1798, Henry was paid 20 pounds and signed his release for his share from his brother's estate.

Also in 1798, Henry married his childhood sweetheart, Anna Eva Loy, in Loysville, Cumberland, PA where Henry and "Eve" (the name she used) grew up. As a matter of fact, Loysville was named after Eve's father. They were married at the Lutheran Church. The church and cemetery in Loysville are located on a 2 acre tract of land that was donated by the fathers of Henry and Eve.

Henry and Eve are on the Communion List at the Lebanon Lutheran Church in Loysville in 1804 and on the 25th of March 1804, they became confirmed members of this church.

It is recorded in Barnhisel records that Henry and Eve moved to Ohio by 1816. However, Henry was busy in land deals in Loysville and in Liberty Twp., Trumbull County, Ohio beforehand. First, he sold his land in Loysville to the directors of the poor in 1810. In Liberty Twp., he acquired 315 acres in 1813. Then in 1815, he bought 86 more acres and he sold 1 acre for $1.00 to the Dutch Presbyterians for a church, school, and cemetery in Liberty Twp.

I have a letter in my possession about their move, stating that the two youngest children of Henry's family were seated in baskets on both sides of a horse. The rest of the family walked the whole distance from Loysville to Liberty Twp. The young children tried not to complain too much about the scratches on their little legs caused by the thorny brambles in the woods that the horses trampled through. 

Henry and Eve had eleven children, some were born in Loysville before the move to Ohio. They all lived in a substantial house in what is now known as Girard, Ohio.

Henry continued to buy land in Trumbull County: 89 acres in 1821 and 145 acres in 1824.  But, Henry died on the 21st day of October 1824, age 47, near Girard, in Liberty Township, Trumbull County, Ohio. Henry is buried in the Girard-Liberty Union Cemetery. The photo of his grave stone is shown at the top of this story.

 Henry B. Barnhisel, son of Henry Adam Barnhisel, built a  lovely new home on the Barnhisel property in 1840 and it has been recently restored and is used as the Girard Historical Society's meeting place. The photo of the placard (see photo above) placed in front of the house, tells more history about the Barnhisels. (Try clicking on the photo to enlarge it for easier reading.)

Henry Adam Barnhisel
Born: 18 Oct 1776  Albany, Berks, PA
Married:        1798             , Cumberland, PA
Died:  21 Oct 1824 near Girard, Trumbull, OH
Sources: Census 1800-1830; Church records in Albany, Loysville, and Girard; Book: "History of Trumbull & Mahoning Cos." Tax list of Trumbull Co. 1825; Clegg's Trumbull Co,, Ohio, Newspaper Obit. Book: "Barnhisel/Bernheisel Lines" by Connie Boyer.