Copyright on photo and text by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG
May not be copied without written consent
Smithland has lost another of its old landmarks. The old Barner home, which began as a log cabin and was also known as the Massey house, was destroyed by fire Tuesday night. I believe this home was possibly built by Benjamin Barner, an early commission merchant of Smithland. His brother, Sterling M. Barner, and family came from Nashville, Tennessee to live with Benjamin Barner in the 1840s. I've written about Sterling M. Barner's daughter, Miss Pattie, and the Barner family several times on this blog.
The above photograph was taken about a year ago. The last time I saw this old house, the gutters were falling down and the roof was falling in. Remnants of its beauty were still there, but neglect had taken its toll.
The electricity had been disconnected and the cause of the fire is unknown.
One-by-one, the old buildings of Smithland are being destroyed and, as a result, we are losing relics of the town's history.
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