The Tanner

The Tanner. . The remains before you and the surrounding property originally belonged to Richard Barry (1726-1815). The Barry family probably settled here in the 1750's after spending a generation in Cecil County, Maryland. Richard was the first tanner in the region. His tannery where he processed animal skins sat a hundred yards to your right within easy sight. Ruins of the tannery's chimneys were visible until the 1990's. This explains why the subdivision was named Tanner's Creek., Richard Barry was one of the most outstanding citizens in Mecklenburg County prior to and during the American Revolutionary War. His career in public service was amazingly diverse. For a brief summary of his contributions to his community, state and nation, please see the historic marker on Beatties Ford Road at the entrance of this subdivision., Barry is also remembered for allowing the renowned Scots-Irish Presbyterian evangelist, John Thomson, to preach under a Poplar tree near here. These outdoor worship services evolved into the founding of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church. That church is south of here at 10500 Beatties Ford Road. Barry's grave is in that historic cemetery. At one time, this community was known as Hopewell. The high school, just south of you, was named "Hopewell" to honor this old name for the neighborhood. It is also interesting to note that the Barry Family Property up in Maryland was called Hopewell., The ruins before you are the final remnants of Richard Barry's property. This house, circa 1806 was built for his daughter Jane. On the chimney you can see on the outside what is called a diamond black design. This is the only brickwork left in our county that displays this once popular design., There was another chimney opposite the one still standing. Study the foundation stones closely and you can see the layout for the two fireplaces. With an internal wall separating the two, heat would have been provided for two separate rooms., In the late 1870's and the early 1900's efforts were made to preserve this building, but the siding and the roof were too far gone. The famous Charlotte restoration architect, Jack O'Boyte, got so far as to draw blueprints for the restoration. One of Mr. O'Boyte's last projects was designing the layout for this park., Inside the house prior to the demolition, paneling and the mantle piece for the standing chimney were preserved. That mantle is on display at the visitor center at Latta Plantation House in Latta Park, which is at the end of Sample Road. (The entrance to the park is opposite Hopewell Presbyterian Church). This is an appropriate final resting place for the mantle piece because Jane Barry's namesake, her niece, married William Azmon Sample and eventually lived in Latta Plantation House., Richard Barry had one other major connection to local history which is worth exploring. On February 1, 1781 at the age of fifty-five, he was on the east bank of the Catawba River trying to help prevent the crossing of a vastly superior force of British troops under the command of General Lord Cornwallis. Local hero, General William Lee Davidson, was the first American who fell and died that day. Barry was one of three friends to Davidson who received his body and brought him back to Hopewell Church for a secret burial. Monuments to General Davidson are also close by in the Hopewell Church Cemetery at the northern end of Beatties Ford Road and in the park across from the Duke Power Nuclear Plant on Highway 73. That battle site is still visible below Cowan's Ford Dam also on Highway 73 (west)., Surely Richard Barry was a man worth remembering and honoring., Thanks to the descendants of Van Buren Potts for donating this stone. Previously, it was part of the front steps to his house on Patterson Road. Evidence points to the fact that these steps were originally in front of the Bethel Presbyterian Church on Hopewell Presbyterian Church Road