William Anderson Barker 1833-1899

BARKER, TRUE

Posted By: Karen DaPra (email)
Date: 10/2/2001 at 00:55:17

DEATH OF WILLIAM A. BARKER.
From the State Line Democrat.

William A. Barker, of Mt. Zion, died at 12 m. [sic] Wednesday, July 26, 1899, after an illness of 14 weeks. He was first seized with pneumonia, and after that seemed to have run its course, typhoid pneumonia set in, and he has been in a critical condition ever since, having lung trouble complicated with frequent chills, with nervous prostration and heart weakness. Dr. W. P. Norris of Birmingham gave him the most skillful treatment and faithful attention, and no one could do more. Since Saturday all had been utterly without hope.

William Anderson Barker was born in Carroll county, Ohio, July 3, 1833, being at the time of his death a little past 66 years old. He was the son of Joseph and Anna Barker and was the sixth of a family of 17 children, nine of whom are still living. The father of this family, Joseph Barker, came to Van Buren county in 1839 and took up 160 acres of government land and improved it. He was a prominent citizen and was known through the county. He died in 1882, aged 83 years.

William A. Barker, coming to this county at the age of 7 years, worked on the farm in the summer and attended school in the winter until 1854, when he went to California to seek his fortune. He remained on the Pacific slope until 1859, engaging in mining and farming. Not meeting with the success he anticipated, he returned and engaged in farming here. His first land purchased was an 80 acre tract only partially improved. Since then he had increased his holding of land to nearly 1000 acres, with one of the costliest and best farm residences and out building in the county, and with personal property and moneys and credits running up in many thousands. His home, with the half dozen or dozen out buildings looks like one of the old southern plantation mansions surrounded with its numerous slave quarters as seen before the war. Mr. Barker had an uncommonly large stock of common sense so that his judment in regard to business matters was almost unerring. His management of his farm, and his live stock operaitons were in the highest degree successful.

Mr. Barker's influence and example were wholly good. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church at Mt. Zion, he was more or less active in politics but was not hide-bound or intolerant, or a party slave. He voted and acted independently when the occassion [sic] seemed to him to require it, and he set an example of active intelligent industry and frugality that was inspiring and beneficial to all who came in contact with him.

Mr. Barker was an active member of the farmers' county institutes. He was a member of the board of trustees of this township. He was instrumental in getting up the trustees convention that was held last winter, and was the chairman of it. He was one those [sic] active, vigorous, level-headed men whose departure is always felt as a public loss.

Mr. Barker was married in 1860 to Miss Rebecca E. True, who with seven children survive him. The funeral was held from the late residence Friday at 2 o'clock.

(Photocopy of this obit is located on page 24 of Obit Book A found in the Van Buren County, IA Genealogical Society's collection at the Keosauqua Public Library in October 1999. Name and date of newspaper not given.) ORIGINAL POST 02 Nov 1999.

I would be interested in knowing more about William's siblings and parents.