Author of a book My First Eighty Years, published in 1986, about her family and life.
114. Elizer Alexander Barnwell
Elizer Alexander Barnwell was a tennent farmer and carpenter. When his oldest daughter, Ollie, was 4 years old, Alex moved his family along with his father-in-law to Oklahoma. Ollie remembers living there on the Great Plains of the old west. There was not a tree as far as the eye could see. Instead of using wood for fires, Ollie would gather brush and dried cow patties for fuel.
After about a year in Oklahoma Alex and Mr. Lawrence moved their families back to Western North Carolina. At this time he started working as a tennent farmer for Archie Corcher at Davis Station in Henderson County. Later he worked for Alfe McDowell in Crab Creek and aquired a team of horses. He then worked for a Mr. Woodfin in Blantire and later for Roe Anderson in Etowah. After working in Etowah, he sold his horses and moved to Canton where he worked at the mill for several years.
He then moved back to Hendersonville living on Spring Street and started working as a carpenter. Many times he would sling his tool box over his shoulder and walk to work buliding or repairing houses. He helped build East Flat Rock School and received a lot near the school as part of his pay. He probably joined the Carpenters Union at this time. I have a copy of his union working card dated May 1, 1929. It was through selling the lot near the school he was able to purchase a lot on Cherokee Drive in Hendersonville for $50. His last job was working at the Hendersonville Supply & Coal Company on Whitted Street across from the old Ice Plant unloading coal. He was working here when he had a major stroke and died within a year after the stroke.
He never owned a car. He did once try driving his oldest son's, Clyde, car to buy grocies at Davis Station. Before he and his son arrived he ran the car into a ditch and never attempted to drive again.
Charles Barnwell was know as simply Uncle by all his nephews and nices. Because he never married his children was his nephews and nices. He enjoyed visits and loved all his grandchildren by the nephews and nices. Most of us spent many hours at his house "The Country Store" where he operated a negborhood store. He had signs on the front of his house listing all his nephews and nices as co-operators of the store.
Lawrence Barnwell, Jr.