Tom’s British and Irish Roots

By Tom Barnett

Note: A paragraph from the information below may find its way into a future article for the UK Chapter newsletter, Forward. 

As a longtime member of STC, I have always been associated with the Phoenix Chapter. With the membership options implemented last year, I decided I would branch out and become a member of some other chapters, including the UK. 

In May following the STC annual conference, I will be traveling to London, Scotland, and Ireland. The last two legs of the journey will focus on a golf adventure with my three brothers and my father, all avid golfers. We’ll be playing the Old Course and Ballybunion as well as some other beautiful courses. This will be my second trip to the UK and Ireland, and we’ll try to cram a lot of tourism into our trip as well.

Like most Americans, I have genealogy roots to Europe, in particular England, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. My earliest known relative anywhere was Francis Page. Born 1594 in England. His son, Col. John Page, came to America in 1650. On the Irish side, several relatives came out of County Antrim. The most notable Irish relative was Denis McCarthy from County Cork. My genealogy chart calls him “Ruler of Ireland.” The chart says he was born in 16-- and died in 1672 in Virginia. He had “silver of the ancient McCarthy Christian Kings all blazoned with the shield and crest of that house, dated 1620. Family of Earl of Clan Carthy and Viscount Moskerry (sp.), Castle Carrignavar. He followed Charles II and was forced to leave Ireland. His brother was speaker in the House of Burgess. On my last visit to Ireland, we located the ruins of the castle.

My earliest known relative in America was Walter Chiles, who was born in England and came to Virginia in 1638 “in his own ship.” His son, Walter Jr., was in the House of Burgesses from its establishment, 1658, to 1663. John Page’s daughter, Mary, married Walter Chiles, Jr.

One of my grandfathers was born of immigrants from Belfast, and I’m currently working on my mother’s dual citizenship. Another branch of the family were original pioneers of Montana who were French Canadians. The Barnett line also came out of Quebec, although genealogy sources say that the name "Barnett" is Old English and means "noble man" or "of honorable birth; from the land that was burned." At St. Andrew’s the starter put the accent on the first syllable. 

I only have one ancestral name in common with UK board members, that being your newsletter editor, Cathy Clarke. A Susannah Clarke married Denis McCarthy’s grandson. My middle name, Parker, is an English name that goes back to the late 1700s in the American South.