Harvey Newlin, was born 19 July 1888, the 6th child of James Nathaniel “Jim” and Martha Elizabeth Guthrie Newlin. His birthplace was a sharecropper cabin in Hickory Mountain Township between Pittsboro and Siler City in Chatham County, NC.

Harvey is probably best remembered for the barns he built in Alamance, Chatham, and adjoining counties. The first barn was built on his own farm in southern Alamance in the late 1920’s. It has a gambrel roof and is built on a hillside, so a horse-drawn wagon could be driven into the hayloft through a large door in the side of the barn. It is still a beautiful building after standing for more than 80 years. He and a crew of farmer-carpenters built dozens of gambrel-roofed barns, several Gothic-roofed barns, pole barns as well as several dwelling houses. There were 153 barns built by Harvey and his crew before his retirement.

Read more about Harvey Newlin and his barns on our website:
https://chathamhistory.org/…/HarveyNewlinsBarnsDavidHobson.…

Harvey's story is told by David K. Hobson, a member and past president of Silk Hope Ruritan Club and Pastor of the Rocky River Friends Meeting. Helen Newlin Bowers, Harvey's granddaughter, provided information. We thank Helen, David, and the Silk Hope Ruritan for allowing us to share this story.