Barnard House

The Eusebius Barnard House is an early 1800's stone house located opposite the Pocopson Home, and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Eusebius Barnard was born in July of 1802 and educated in Chester County. He attended neighborhood schools and devoted his energies to the farming interests in his community. He is widely known as a strong abolitionist and an earnest advocate of womens rights and temperance reform. Mr. Barnard was also a strong community leader. Eusebius signed the Petition for the Division of Pennsbury Township on November 3, 1848, which resulted in the creation of Pocopson Township. He was described by Gilbert Cope as “a man of great force of character”. He married Sarah Painter in 1829, who was the daughter of Enos and Hannah Marshall Painter and farmed on this land. Eusebious and Sarah Painter had eight children. After the death of Sarah Painter Barnard in 1849, Eusebious married Sarah Marsh whose parents, Gravner and Hannah Marsh were fellow conductors on the Underground Railroad. This house remained in the Barnard Family for the next 100 years. In 1944, the family sold the property to the Dershimer's. The Dershimers owned the property until 1957, when they sold the land to Chester County. Chester County transferred ownership of this property to Pocopson Township in October 2008.