Adam Barner

     Adam Barner was born circa 1743 at Switzerland. He married Maria Euphronica Conrad, daughter of Johan Peter Conradt and Anna Rosina [—?—], in 1767 at Robeson Township, Berks County, Province of Pennsylvania, America. Adam Barner died between 1817 and 1820 at Greenwood Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. He was buried in the Saint Michael's Cemetery, located in Pfoutz Valley, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
     He emigrated in 1758 from Bern, Switzerland. He was a tailor and farmer circa 1790. Adam Barner, forefather of the central Pennsylvania clan of Barners, emigrated to America in 1758 from Berne, Switzerland. Although the present generation knows not the exact circumstances of his passage across the Atlantic, research indicates the probability that the voyage might have been under taken in the company of his parents and/or other close relatives. Even though no absolute proof has been established as to either his or their point of departure from Europe or the point of arrival in America, certain patterns indicate that he most likely proceeded down the Rhine River to Rotterdam, hence to a final departure point on the south English coast, and on to sea toward and into the port of Philadelphia.

Supposedly having served as an indentured servant for his ocean passage in the vicinity of Lancaster, the first factual evidence of his presence is to be found in the 1764 county tax records of Robeson Twp., Berks Co., near Reading, PA. John Bunn, Sr., a joiner by trade, with his wife Fanny, appear on the same tax records of this early period in the same Co. and Twp. as Adam Barner, the tailor. As contemporary craftsman, they likely lived as neighbors in an early colonial town.

In consequence of John Bunn's untimely death in 1766, Fanny, whose given name was Veronica, faced the administering of the estate while caring for her infant son, John, Jr. Fanny soon found comfort and strength in the person of Adam Barner, whom she married in 1767.

In 1772, Adam Barner entered his venture in real estate by obtaining a warrant and survey for 100 acres of land in Brunswick Twp. which is now in West Brunswick Twp., Schuylkill Co. But this parcel was found to have infringed upon the claims of the proprietaries and was therefore returned to the Land Office in 1773. In 1775 he is reported to be in Greenwood Twp., of Cumberland Co., PA.

He was pressed into military service early in the Revolution and continued in the Colonial Army until the close of the war, at which time he took his Oath of Allegiance on May 2, 1778. At sometime before, during or after the war he and Fanny moved to the Liverpool area of Cumberland Co., being taxed there in 1778 on about 50 acres of land. After paying tax on this land for about 7 years, Adam obtained a warrant and survey. Meanwhile, earlier in the same year, they were conveyed 190 acres of adjoining land, by deed of John Pfoutz.

Adam Barner had no doubt built a home for his family somewhere on one of these two tracts of land, possibly near a good spring, and cleared some land for farming. In 1791, John Bunn, Jr., secured the right to Adam and Fanny's 190 acres by obtaining a warrant and survey from the Commonwealth; and in 1798, Adam and Fanny conveyed the warrant for the 50 acres to John Bunn, Jr. also. The two parcels eventually surveyed out to 54a - 144p and 212a - 18p. Through census and other records, Adam and Fanny apparently lived in or near the John Bunn, Jr. family home. Adam followed his trade as tailor, but did not own ant land, while John Bunn, Jr., looked after them. On a deed, when part of this property was sold to Henry H. Kline, we find the following description: 'And having thereon erected a large two story part frame and part log house, weatherboarded, a good sized frame and weatherboarded bank barn, a wagon shed, carpenter shop, and other buildings. Also a two story weatherboarded tenant house and log stable.'

Adam Barner is found taxed for the last time in 1818, so it can be assumed that this is the year that he died. Fanny outlived him, she is shown in the 1820 census as 'Frene Barner', age 'over 45', with another female aged 16 to 26. This is the last census in which she appears.

John Bunn, Jr., farmed, owned 267 acres and had a sawmill, according to the tax records. In 1833 he obtained the patent to the 267 acres, and a patent for an adjoining 223 acres, from the Commonwealth. In 1835, the last year that he was taxed, he sold the 267 acres to Jacob G. Kline, from whom it has passed down to the present owner, Mrs. Maude Lyter Marcunas.

In the year 1803, George Barner, son of Adam took out a warrant for 80 acres and again in 1815 with John Rafter, 50 more acres. These two tracts contain the Barner Church, Parish House, Grove and Cemetery, also the old log house and log barn ( the barn burned in 1827) which is just below the Church, facing the direction towards Liverpool. This land is now owned by Gerald Strawser.

Adjoining George Barner's two tracts on the west was the land of Henry Dubs, warranted in 5 tracts, but obtained on a patent in 1803. Henry was a very early settler, and a Revolutionary War Veteran, whose daughter Mary, married George Barner, Adam's son. It is also possible that a daughter of Adam's married one of Henry Dubs' sons. Some of this land is now owned by Palmer Long.

Adjoining Adam Barner and John Bunn's land was Zachariah Spangle(r) who built the stone house along present Rt. 104 on 50 acres, which he took out as a warrant and survey, later a patent. He also had a warrant for 250 acres. These two became the land of Jacob Kline. This land has remained in the Kline Family to this day and is known as 'Kline Hollow.' North and northwest of the Barner Church were the lands of John and Frederick Rodes.