Robert Turner Barrett





	Robert Turner Barrett was one of Caldwell County’s most 

colorful citizens and Kentucky’s last Civil War veteran.  He resided 

in the Dulaney community, where he farmed with his sons, Robert L. 

and Thomas T. Barrett.  Family oral history indicated that he lied 

about his age and joined the Union Army on August 1st of 1864.  Army 

records indicated that he served fourteen months in the Company L of 

the 17th Kentucky Volunteer Calvary under Captain Elisha Lemons. He 

rode patrol between Bowling Green and Paducah until he was honorably 

discharged on September 20, 1865.



	In 1938 Robert was invited to Gettysburg for a reunion of the 

Blue and Gray which was held on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of 

Gettysburg.  Robert T. Barrett attended with his granddaughter, Hazel 

Barrett.  The two-week convention brought Blue and Gray together for 

one last time.  By 1944 he was the sole Civil War Veteran living in 

Kentucky.  In 1949 he attended the last encampment of the Grand Army 

of the Republic in Indianapolis with his son Tom.



"Pap" Barrett, as he was fondly known, lived in the western part of 

Caldwell County with his wife, Mildred Elenor, until her death in 

1936.  He then moved in with his son, Tom.  He enjoyed life to its 

fullest, not worrying about anything and to that he attributed his 

long life. The 1939 Black Patch Parade was lead by "Pap" Barrett on 

his spirited mare Minnie.  He continued to ride well into his mid 

nineties.  You might find him at Ratliff’s Hardware Store, swapping 

stories around the potbelly stove or sitting in the family car on the 

street just visiting with friends.   He first voted for Lincoln, yet 

he maintained a keen interest in politics, World War II, and the 

Korean Conflict.



	Turning 100 years old in 1946, Robert received 175 guests at 

the home of his son, Thomas.  He also held a rather unusual election. 

As commander of the Department of Kentucky, Grand Army of the 

Republic, he called a one-man session of the department, re-elected 

himself as commander and was sworn into office by Mrs. R.V. Love, 

state secretary of the GAR.  The high school band came to his farm to 

play for his birthday.  He couldn’t let a parade go by without 

getting in it, and before things wound up he was leading the 

procession.



	He attributed his longevity to enjoying life.  "If you want 

to enjoy life, don’t get nervous and excited.  When everything seems 

to go wrong, just walk off, stay awhile and whistle and sing.  You 

won’t live long if you get nervous all the time," reported "Pap" in a 

news article. He often quoted his Bible and he was a member of 

Saratoga Methodist Church.



On January 12, 1951, Robert T. Barrett departed this world for what 

he believed was a better place. On that day, he had every tooth in 

his head and he had rarely taken medicine.  Services were held at the 

Barrett home near Dulaney and entombment was in Liberty Church 

Cemetery, next to the Barrett farm.



Nina Katherine Stinebaugh Hall, great-granddaughter

Sherry Loach Collins, great-granddaughter



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