Net Note: James R. Barrow was the youngest child of the Rev. and "Lucy" Barrow and was born in Bowdon on 31 Oct. 1844. He was a student at Bowdon Collegiate Institute when the Civil War began and became a member of Company B, Cobb's Legion Infantry. The unit was formed in Bowdon by Charles McDaniel who was President of the Institute as well as a Methodist preacher. The company took part in most of the major battles in Virginia and suffered tremendous loss of life and limb. Private James R. was wounded in left ankle and foot during the Battle of Crampton's Gap Maryland on Sept. 14, 1862. He was captured and his left leg amputated by Yankee surgeons. He recovered and was sent to prisons in Maryland and then exchanged and returned home to Bowdon.

He served in some capacity in the army around Atlanta drawing pay for at least into 1864. He returned to Bowdon and married Martha S. "Mattie" Holmes on 10 Dec. 1865 at Bowdon. Mattie was the daughter of Thomas F. and Mary J. Holmes of Bowdon. Holmes was a local blacksmith. He never drew a Confederate pension but did receive money from the state for the purchase of an artificial leg.

James became a very prosperous merchant in Bowdon as well as being half-owner of Victory Mills, a complex consisting of a gristmill, cotton gin, saw mill and tannery located on the Little Tallapoosa River east of Bowdon. This mill boasted of having the first circular saw in Western Georgia. He and "Mattie" had a son, John William, a daughter Georgia, who was born on Sept. 3, 1868, and an infant who was born on Jan. 1 and died on February. 1, 1872. "Mattie" died the following June 10th and on Dec. 5, 1876 little Georgia died. Then four years latter on July 11, 1880 James R. died leaving 14 year old John William an orphan. James died testate and named his brother William guardian for his young son. James, "Mattie", Georgia and the infant are buried in the Bowdon Baptist Church Cemetery. It is said that James R. died from TB contracted in the Yankee prison camps.