Paul Barker was born about 1819 in Washington Co., Virginia to Charles Barker and Katherine Chiles; sometime in the 1840s he moved to Knox Co., TN where he lived close to – or with – his uncle Henry Chiles. On 3 Aug 1848 in Knox Co., TN, Paul married Marinda Vicars, daughter of John Vicars and Marinda Alvis.
Before joining the Union war effort, the following children were born to them:
Seventh child, son Paul Marcus was born 9 Aug 1863, two months after his father Paul died from disease in the General Hospital at Gallatin TN.
Paul was a 44 year old farmer and family man when he enrolled as a Private in Co D 6th Regiment East TN infantry at Knox Co., TN, on 31 January 1863. Shortly after that date, he participated in a grueling march with very poor conditions and some skirmishes on the way to Carthage TN. It was at Carthage that he was taken ill and moved to the General Hospital at Gallatin, TN where he died 9 June 1863. Various reports state pneumonia, consumption, dysentery. His company lost 44 men to battle, 157 to disease related deaths. Paul’s captain, Marcus Bearden stated that Paul was an able bodied man when he joined, and that his illness was contracted during the course of his service. Paul’s widow, Marinda received a monthly widow’s pension of $8.00 per month, which was raised to $12.00 monthly in 1886. Two of Paul’s brothers, who stayed in Virginia, fought for the Confederate side; and both of them survived the war.