Eusebius and Sarah (Painter) Barnard

Eusebius was the youngest of 4 sons, living into adulthood, of Richard and Sarah Barnard. He was raised near Marlborough Village with many of his Barnard Family members in the immediate area owning farms from the vast amount of land ownership his grandfather had accumulated. He attended the Friends school at Westtown and excelled in his studies. Family friend Gilbert Cope, author of The History of Chester County, described Eusebius as "a man of great force of character" who strove for an end to intolerance.

Eusebius married Sarah Painter in 1829. Sarah was the daughter of Enos & Hannah Painter & grew up on the early homestead of her mother's Minshall family near the village of Providence, now in Delaware County which was also involved in the Underground Railroad. Sarah's brothers had planted over 1,000 specimens of trees and shrubs and today this is Tyler Arboretum which was named as such because their nephew John Tyler had inherited the homestead. Interesting to note Sarah's brother Minshall Painter gave the name Media to the nearby town in 1849. Sarah's father had purchased the Barnard Station property years before and gave it to her sometime after she married Eusebius in 1829. Sarah's father set it up so that when Sarah's sons became of proper age they would inherit the farm. We suspect one reason it was not put in Eusebius' name was because of his prominent participation in anti-slavery activities & concern the farm could be placed in jeopardy. Eusebius and Sarah had 8 children with 5 living into adulthood, 3 daughters and 2 sons.

The Barnards opened up their home as a station on the Underground Railroad, often accepting freedom seekers traveling north from Wilmington, DE into Chester County. When freedom seekers arrived at the Barnard house they were given food, clothing and rest before moving on to the next safe house, often at 2 o’clock in the morning. Women and children may have slept on mattresses on the warm kitchen floor and men in the barn.

The Barnard children often helped. They also did their share of transporting freedom seekers if Eusebius was traveling for religious visits. One of the youngest conductors on the UGRR was their youngest son Enos who when just old enough to ride a horse led a group of 17 men on foot to his Uncle William Barnard’s house near Marlborough. At times, if the coast was clear, the freedom seekers were hired for work on the farm. Pocopson Township had a large free African American community which likely helped in concealing the freedom seekers. However even free African Americans weren’t always safe from possible kidnapping by slave hunters.

Sadly Sarah Painter Barnard died at age 45 leaving 5 children, the youngest 5 years old.

Both Eusebius and Sarah are buried in Longwood Cemetery.