1860 Parrott Dr.,
San Mateo, CA.
94402-3739
May 17, 2007
Rachel Siegel
Sunnyvale, CA.
Dear Rachel,
Attached are some papers regarding the Leddy/Barnes family which we recently discussed on Mother’s Day. The New Orleans part seems too vague and rightly so, due to the early communications problems in America.
According to family history, mostly by word of mouth with a few old family letters thrown in, it seems that there were two links to New Orleans from Philadelphia. First one, was the award to Captain John Barnes of land in the City of New Orleans by Thomas Jefferson after the New Orleans Purchase with France and in tribute to Captain Barnes service in the Revolutionary War. The Hotel at Tchoupitoulas St. and Grand St. was supposed to be the largest hotel in New Orleans before it burned down sometime during 1812, Capt. Barnes was supposed to have resided in New Orleans from 1808 to 1812 but no records can be found to prove this statement.
Nor is there any trace of Grand St. I had heard that the location was where you cross Hwy. 90 near Front St., Near the river or Anderson St. All warehouses the last time we looked in that area.
Please read my short story, Brandywine Patriot first with picture of my locket attached.
It then appears that John Ford Barnes (Captain Barnes son) married Susanna Williams (or Johnson) and moved back to New Orleans around 1820 and lived there until he died in 1846 and is buried there in Notre Dame Cemetery (Chapa Lula St) –see attached copy from an old letter.
I have also enclosed a rough family tree derived from some of my Dad’s (Harold D. Leddy) notes.
This goes from 1620 right down to Giancarlo. Needs updating and a better appearance.
Next are some sources that I tried to reach via internet in New Orleans—The Williams Research Center on Chartres St.
Lastly a copy of an old letter from my Cousin, Mary Barnes—looking at the old mixture of Catholic Irish and Swedes and Brits. My big interest was the pre-Civil War history—in the Civil War our family had brothers on both sides and it is too much of a mess and sadness to even study.
A lot of big questions. Was there really a big hotel in New Orleans that belonged to Capt. Barnes.? How and why did it burn down? What did his son (John Ford Barnes) do in New Orleans in the period before his death in 1846. Perhaps my story, Brandywine Patriot is based too much on embellished verbal family history.
I don’t have the time left to research this extensively. Maybe you and Giancarlo could take a little time to make the necessary corrections. Thanks for your interest and support.
Love from Jack & Jane
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As I understand it, Rachel and her father David Siegel were able to locate business tax records from New Orleans dating to just prior to the War of 1812. Those records show a John Barnes as a tax payer. It seems reasonable to assume that the John Barnes listed is our ancestor. Perhaps Rachel and Giancarlo will elaborate about those records. Although the Battle of New Orleans never actually reached the city, thanks to General Andrew Jackson, it's easy to speculate that the British had a list of targets in the City and would also possess long memories of officers like John Barnes who left the Crown and joined Washington's Army. It's also easy to speculate that British spies were in New Orleans creating whatever havoc they might. The British did burn Washington DC to the ground but in New Orleans they probably torched the hotel of our ancestor and more but ultimately failed to burn down the city. Maybe we should ask the Queen for reparations or BP could throw some more money in the pot.
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