James Barclay

BARCLAY

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/20/2010 at 13:59:55

James Barclay, who resides upon a well improved farm of 160 acres on section33, Garden township, is one of the most successful agriculturists of Boone county. Besides this farm he owns 160 acres of choice land on sections 10 and 15. He not only follows general farming but makes a specialty of raising Holstein cattle and has been particularly successful as a stock raiser.
Mr Barclay was born in Carroll county, Ohio June 24, 1839, and there attended the common schools and grew to manhood. From early life he has followed farming. His parents were Joseph and Jeanette (Noble) Barclay, both natives of Scotland, the former born January 14, 1788, and the latter in Inverness, August 15, 1801. The father died in Ohio, March 11 1848, and the mother in the same state December 19, 1866.
In their family were eleven children as follows: Mena Ann, who was born March 26, 1824, and died in Wisconsin, Alexander, who was born December 15, 1825, and was drowned in the Wisconsin river, June 30, 1852, Elizabeth who was born September 2, 1827, and died March 30, 1848, John whose birth occurred August 1, 1829, and who has also passed away, Mrs James Salzman, who was born July 31, 1831, and is now residing in Carrollton, Ohio, Mrs Mary Peterson, who was born January 31, 1833, and died in June 1913, Angus, who was born October 7, 1834, and resides in Richland county, Wisconsin, Joseph who was born August 7, 1836 and died March 18, 1848, James of this review, and Sarah and Margaret, twins born May 16, 1840. Margaret died October of that year, and Sarah is now Mrs Marshall resides in Richland Center, Wisconsin. All of these children were born in Ohio.
In July 1862, James Barclay enlisted for service in the Union army, joining Company A, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry,. He was mustered out in June 1865. He served with General George H Thomas’ corps and participated in the battle of Nashville and the Tennessee campaign. One of his brothers was also a Union soldier, under the command of General Macpherson, whose death he witnessed before Atlanta.
After his discharge James Barclay returned to Ohio, thence making his way to Wisconsin, where he remained two months. In 1865 he came to Boone, Iowa, and purchased 40 acres of coal lands west of the city, establishing what was known as Barclay’s Coal Bank, one of the first in Boone county. He continued in its operation and management until 1867, when he came to Garden township and purchased 80 acres of choice land on section 10 and 15 later adding 80 acres. He improved this farm, erected substantial buildings and in the course of years made it one of the most valuable farm is in the township. In 1908 he purchased 160 acres of Section 33, and located on it. This farm is also modernly improved and yields him rich returns. It is here that Mr Barclay now makes his home.
On December 26, 1866, James Barclay married Rebecca Hoyer, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, March 4 1844, and died in Garden township, November 18, 1913. Her parents Mr and Mrs George Hoyer, both of whom are now deceased, came overland to Boone county at an early day and were among the pioneer families. They had the following children: Isaac who is residing in Boone, Iowa, at the age of eighty years, twins, born December 22, 1831, one of whom died in infancy, while the other, Mrs Maria Homan, passed away April 12, 1902, John who was born January 22m 1837 and died July 18, 1904, George who was born February 22, 1839, and is a resident of Boone, Peter deceased, Mrs Lucy Dillon who is residing in Nebraska, and Mrs James Barclay the youngest of the family.
Mr and Mrs Barclay have five children: Mrs Salemma Hazen residing in Madrid, Iowa, Charles of Garden township, Bertha residing with her father, Angus who makes his home on the Garden township farm, and Mrs Fern Swanson who died March 17, 1907.
Mr Barclay is a republican and for a number of years has been school director of Garden township. He is a member of the congregational church, to which his wife also belonged. Success has come to him on account to his industry, energy and thrift and he is esteemed and respected for what he has attained and those qualities of his character which have made possible his prosperity. Mr Barclay is a representative farmer of Boone county and the agricultural development of this section of the state is largely to be attributed to the initiative of such men as he.

1914 Boone County History Book