Have you went to the county auditors office to see when it was built ? if it is like around here tax's had to be paid on it as soon as it was built.As far as it surviving Sherman the Confederates would ride patrol on the side and if they caught any of them thieves trying to burn steal or molest the people they would stop them that is why the path was not wider. I would say the barn was in a bad place for them to get too maybe there was a camp there or maybe the barn was a replacement for one they burned you should know more if the auditors office records are intact.