EV. ROBERT E. BARRETT was born in Southampton county, Virginia, April 12, 1858, and died December 6, 1901, at Cape Charles. He was a son of John B. and Lucy G. Barrett, and great grandson of Rev. Burwell Barrett. He was converted at the age of eighteen, and immediately connected himself with the church. His early life was spent in clerking at a country store. He was reared in Southampton county.

      At the Eastern Virginia Christian Conference held at Mt. Carmel church in Isle of Wight county, in 1877, the committee on Education reported that Robert E. Barrett had been admitted to the ministerial class by the committee since last Conference, and that the church at Barrett's had pledged half the amount required to keep him in school a year. That he was then at the Suffolk Collegiate Institute. He attended the Conference at Barrett's in 1878, and was enrolled as a deliberative member. He was kept in school at the charge of [367] the Conference as the educational report shows. At the Conference at Windsor, Virginia, in 1879, the committee reported him at the Institute and recommended to Conference to continue him at school. In 1830, he was a delegate from the Suffolk Sunday school to the Sunday School Convention at Antioch church. At the Conference at Bethany in Southampton county, this same year, the committee on Education recommended the "licensing of Bros. R. A. Ricks, R. E. Barrett, and M. W. Butler," which item was adopted. And in 1881, at Liberty Spring the Conference decided to ordain these with M. L. Williams, all of whom were duly examined. The ordaining presbytery was composed of Revs. M. B. Barrett, J. T. Kitchen, and C. J. Ralston.

      In 1882, at the Conference at Bethlehem in Nansemond county, he was assistant secretary, and was appointed on the committee on religious literature. He was assigned to the Surry mission for three-fourths of his time, and to be paid $200.00 from the home mission funds. He was also granted by the Executive committee leave to preach at Waverly in Sussex county once a mouth, the request having come from a committee of the citizens. Both places now have good churches. He was at the Conference at Union in Southampton county, and served on the committee on Sunday schools. And at the Conference at Spring Hill, Sussex county, in 1884, he was assistant secretary. He had served the church at Union in Burry county as pastor. In 1885, at the Conference at Antioch the committee on home missions recommended that he supply the Virginia Valley Conference on such terms as might be agreed upon with that Conference. But he left the Christian Church and united with the M. E. Church, South, having preached for churches in Southampton and other counties. He was received into full connection with the Methodist Virginia Annual Conference in November, 1885, in the [368] bounds of which he labored till his death. He was buried in the Old Blanford cemetery at Petersburg, Virginia.

      The Rev. Mr. Barrett belonged to a large and honored family of christian people, several of whom have been useful ministers of religion. As stated he was related to the Rev. Burwell Barrett, one of the pioneers of the Christian Church, but lacked in those independent characteristics peculiar to the original Barrett stock. He was not self-reliant, but in a marked degree dependent, and sensitive to the least apparent indifference on the part of his friends. His temperament was such that no doubt his change of ministerial relationship was rather to be commended than to be censured. He attained to a good degree of success, though he departed this life in its meridian. He rests from his labors.

[LCM 367-369]