The suggestion that the name Matthias (Beller) was an error in the patent to Matthias Smith and Matthias Beller has merit. Last night I looked at a photographic copy of the patent in question and reread it. The name is quite clear as Matthias. But it is possible that the copyist read the given name of Smith as the given name of Beller and wrote the wrong thing.
I really have some difficulty in accepting that Matthias was the son of Christopher. Christopher came in 1717 without any children. The patent was issued in 1726 and the application had to be made earlier. It is possible that Matthias was a minor son but he could not have been more than about seven years of age. Perhaps Christopher Barlow was not well and Matthias Smith was acting as a guardian for Matthias Beller.
I am bothered by the omission of Adam Barlow, supposed youngest son of Christopher Barlow, from the land distribution. The two hundred acres of the patent went to Jacob Barlow, and then half of that went to Christopher (II). Nothing went to Adam. I am inclined to think that Matthias Beller was a brother to Christopher Barlow (I). Matthias had sons Jacob and Christopher (II). [I use the Roman numeral even though the line is not direct.] Christopher (I) had the son Adam, and a possible son John, who moved to North Carolina. In this proposal, Jacob and Christopher were brothers and cousins of Adam. Adam got no land because his father had no land.
This would make Jacob, Christopher (II), and Adam contemporaries. Jacob would appear to be older than Christopher (II). I will pause on this thought right now and see if readers have thoughts that confirm or deny something of this nature.
The answer might lie in information to be found in Germany. The surname in question is not even known for sure, but it probably is not Barlage, one suggestion. This name certainly occurs in Germany today as the phone directory lists 236 Barlages; however, that name is a northern German name and does not appear in the Kraichgau in south Germany where most of the Second Colony came from. For the present, Christopher Barlow should probably be considered as originating in the area of the Second Colony.
[If memory serves me correctly, there are about 30 Barlows in Germany today. They are a bit suspicious as the given names seem more like American or perhaps English than German.]
The suggestion has been made that Christopher Barlow (I) lived until the 1740's. The 1739 Orange County list of residents does not include a Barlow. These are normally the head of households and the number of males 16 and above. I believe it is the case that people who are excused from the tithe are listed but with a note that they are excused. [Women who are the head of households are listed but noted as excused from the tithe.] If someone can clarify this point, please do. Tentatively, I believe that Christopher Barlow (I) did not live until 1739.
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