Jonathan Barnard, Massachusetts war hero who started the Barnard family dynasty in Claiborne county was born on January 1, 1760 in Massachusetts. Barnard joined Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment at Lancaster MA, and fought in the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill.
At Bunker hill fought on June 17, 1775,  Col. Asa's regiment was posted along a rail fence on Breed's Hill. After fighting back 3 British assaults, Asa's regiment suffered 5 killed and 8 wounded.
 After Bunker Hill, Barnard Joined an expedition by Henry Knox to bring 59 cannons to Boston from Fort Ticonderoga in November 1775 to help relive the British siege of the city.
 On December 9, 1775, with cannons loaded, the Knox expedition sailed down lake George with the cannons. On December 25th, one of the worst blizzards hit the lake George area. Snow drifts several feet high made it appear that it may be spring before they got back to Boston.  On March 4, 1776, Barnard arrived in Boston with the cannons.
 On March 9th, The Continentals began shelling the city of Boston with the cannons from Ticonderoga as a diversionary tactic to move the rest of the cannons to Dorchester Heights overlooking the  city Of Boston. When Howe saw the cannons on Dorchester heights, He withdrew from Boston.. On March 20,1776 the continentals entered Boston as triumphant heroes. Col. Asa's regiment was the first to enter the city.
 On August 29, 1776, Barnard participated in the battle of Long island. NY One Pa officer made the comment at Long Island "that the Massachusetts line was the most miserably constituted band of Soldiers in the whole Continental army". One Massachusetts's soldier hearing the comment wrote a letter to a British officer describing location of the Pa line along with its strengths and weaknesses, and tried to carry it across the lines to give it to them. Fortunately the soldier was apprehended before reaching the British Lines.
    Barnard was attached to the artillery  unit at Long island at  Red Hook. At the battle of Long island, the British out flanked the Americans by traveling down unguarded roads that Washington had ordered guards to be placed, and won the battle. During the battle, The British captured 5 cannons from The Massachusetts line. 
       Thousands of American soldiers were captured as prisoners at Long Island including Barnard. The major problem was the British had no where to put them. Barns, Churches, warehouses were turned into makeshift prisons. Over 2000 soldiers would die in the church prisons of New York.
During the fall of 1776, Patriots set fire to New york city twice during the British Occupation of  the city. This forced the British to move the prisoners to prison ships in the New York Harbor.  The soldiers were dying at such a fast rate on the ships due to disease and lack of food, that the first words they heard every morning were" Rebels cast out your dead. "The dead were then thrown overboard.  By the end of the war, over 13000 troops had died on the prison ships. For years  after the war, it was a common Jonathan Barnard, Massachusetts war hero who started the Barnard family dynasty in Claiborne county was born on January 1, 1760 in Massachusetts. Barnard joined Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment at Lancaster MA, and fought in the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill.
At Bunker hill fought on June 17, 1775,  Col. Asa's regiment was posted along a rail fence on Breed's Hill. After fighting back 3 British assaults, Asa's regiment suffered 5 killed and 8 wounded.
 After Bunker Hill, Barnard Joined an expedition by Henry Knox to bring 59 cannons to Boston from Fort Ticonderoga in November 1775 to help relive the British siege of the city.
 On December 9, 1775, with cannons loaded, the Knox expedition sailed down lake George with the cannons. On December 25th, one of the worst blizzards hit the lake George area. Snow drifts several feet high made it appear that it may be spring before they got back to Boston.  On March 4, 1776, Barnard arrived in Boston with the cannons.
 On March 9th, The Continentals began shelling the city of Boston with the cannons from Ticonderoga as a diversionary tactic to move the rest of the cannons to Dorchester Heights overlooking the  city Of Boston. When Howe saw the cannons on Dorchester heights, He withdrew from Boston.. On March 20,1776 the continentals entered Boston as triumphant heroes. Col. Asa's regiment was the first to enter the city.
 On August 29, 1776, Barnard participated in the battle of Long island. NY One Pa officer made the comment at Long Island "that the Massachusetts line was the most miserably constituted band of Soldiers in the whole Continental army". One Massachusetts's soldier hearing the comment wrote a letter to a British officer describing location of the Pa line along with its strengths and weaknesses, and tried to carry it across the lines to give it to them. Fortunately the soldier was apprehended before reaching the British Lines.
    Barnard was attached to the artillery  unit at Long island at  Red Hook. At the battle of Long island, the British out flanked the Americans by traveling down unguarded roads that Washington had ordered guards to be placed, and won the battle. During the battle, The British captured 5 cannons from The Massachusetts line. 
       Thousands of American soldiers were captured as prisoners at Long Island including Barnard. The major problem was the British had no where to put them. Barns, Churches, warehouses were turned into makeshift prisons. Over 2000 soldiers would die in the church prisons of New York.
During the fall of 1776, Patriots set fire to New york city twice during the British Occupation of  the city. This forced the British to move the prisoners to prison ships in the New York Harbor.  The soldiers were dying at such a fast rate on the ships due to disease and lack of food, that the first words they heard every morning were" Rebels cast out your dead. "The dead were then thrown overboard.  By the end of the war, over 13000 troops had died on the prison ships. For years  after the war, it was a common occurrence that dried bones of the soldiers were washed ashore. The fact that Barnard made it out alive says something about his will  to live, his fortitude, and courage..
   After the war was over, Barnard was released from the prison ships. In 1790, Barnard is living in Amhearst MA. By 1798, Barnard moves to War creek in Claiborne county in present day Hancock county TN.
      By 1832, Barnard moved to Mercer County KY where he filed for his pension. Barnard died on October16, 1835 in Mercer County Ky
      During the Civil War, some of Barnard's descendents joined the  Kentucky 11th cavalry of the Union army.
Barnard will always be remembered as a great soldier who showed what will and perseverance can overcome  during his life's worst moments. that dried bones of the soldiers were washed ashore. The fact that Barnard made it out alive says something about his will  to live, his fortitude, and courage..
   After the war was over, Barnard was released from the prison ships. In 1790, Barnard is living in Amhearst MA. By 1798, Barnard moves to War creek in Claiborne county in present day Hancock county TN.
      By 1832, Barnard moved to Mercer County KY where he filed for his pension. Barnard died on October16, 1835 in Mercer County KY.
      During the Civil War, some of Barnard's descendents joined the Kentucky 11th cavalry of the Union army.
Barnard will always be remembered as a great soldier who showed what will and perseverance can overcome during his life's worst moments.