In 1848, Elijah Skidmore appeared before the Court of Sevier County, Arkansas, stating that, having married the widow of John Barnett, he was now requesting to be appointed guardian of John’s minor children, (Deltry) Moore and Andrew Barnett, who had property in that county. This document establishes the fact that Elizabeth R Barnett was the widow of John Barnett.1
Elijah D Skidmore's petition for guardianship of (Deltry) Moore and Andrew Barnett, filed in the Sevier County, Arkansas, court in 1848.
Barnett, then was Elizabeth's married name. It may well have also been her maiden name, but even so, we still do not believe she was the daughter of Robert & Lucinda Barnett because of the date discrepancy mentioned earlier.
So who was John Barnett? And assuming he died before Elizabeth and Elijah’s marriage in 1842, why did Elijah wait until 1848 to petition the court for the guardianship of Deltry and Andrew?
In order to answer those questions, we must go back two generations, to the probate court of Madison County, Alabama, and the estate of Deltry and Andrew's grandfather, Moore Barnett.
