James Hamilton Barker

Son of William Ransome Barker (1816-1869), in 1860 he was a 21 year old living with his parents, 6 siblings, and at least 33 slaves on "Sycamore," the family's cotton plantation of as many as 4,000 acres at Buford's Bridge in the Barnwell District, SC.

He enlisted at Coles Island, SC, on 1 September 1861 and mustered in Charleston on 5 September as 2nd Corporal of Company I (later C), First South Carolina Infantry. He was promoted to First Sergeant, probably at the reorganization of 12 April 1862.

He was in command of his company as senior man present at the start of the Maryland Campaign.

He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in June 1863. He was placed in arrest on 24 December 1863, charges and outcome not given. By June 1864 he was again in command of his company and was promoted to First Lieutenant in September. He was surrendered and paroled at Appomattox Court House, VA on 9 April 1865.

By 1870 he was again farming Sycamore, with his brother Henry. In 1880 he was farming his own place at Great Cypress in Barnwell County, SC but by 1900 and to at least 1910 was farming at Coosawhatchie in Hampton County. In 1920, then age 82, he was retired and lived with his son Joe in Pocotaligo, Jasper County, SC.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3, as J. Hammie Barker, with Campaign detail from the Memoirs.2 Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860-1920, also as J. Ham Barker. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Mary Tucker Williams (1843-1914) and they had 4 children between 1866 and 1880.

10/23/1838; Barnwell District, SC

11/07/1928; burial in Gillisonville Baptist Church Cemetery, Gillisonville, SC