Taken from the Marcus, IA Book 1996 - Page 302
David Barr and his wife, Sarah MULHOLLAND, emigrated to Dundee, Canada, CA 1840, from Londonderry, Ireland. David died in 1881 in Perth County, Ontario here he and his family lived on the farm next to George WARD, Sr. It was there that their second daughter Sarah, married George WARD, Jr. Both Wards are included elsewhere in this book. Six of their children, including Mrs. George WARD, came to Amherst Township in the early 1870's and were among the most well-known of the early pioneers. The eldest, Margaret BARR, had married John BRADLEY in Canada, where the older three of their seven daughters were born. They purchased a farm in Section 23, Amherst Township, in 1883 from Samuel HORNIBROOK; selling it in 1895 to Christopher GRAUER, when the parents moved to Springfield, MO. Their oldest daughter, Sarah Ann, married William ROSS, an early Marcus grocer.Most well-known was daughter Elvira, who became the second wife of Andrew RAE, father of Don RAE. Rae families are partially reviewed in the 1971 Marcus book. Three of the sons left Ontario at about the same time that their Ward in-laws came to Iowa, and went to the gold fields of California. They came to the Marcus area in the early 1870's having sent George WARD money to buy land for them. One of the brothers, John BARR, married Elizabeth CAMPBELL in Cherokee County, where they established a large landholding, and had several children. Of these, Jessie married J. Clarke FREEMAN, David took up land in Saskatchewan, Canada, and Robert we have not found.
The other two, David and Gabe were early merchants
in Marcus, known as Barr Brothers. Gabe was one
of the signers of the petition for incorporation of
the town of Marcus; David moved on to Sioux City and
Nebraska, where many of his descendants continue to
follow the practice of medicine at the Barr Clinic
at Tilden, NE. Gabe
BARR
married Margaret
WARD,
sister of George, Jr. Gabe was well-know as
auctioneer and entrepreneur. He and Margaret
had six
children--two daughters dying
young. One daughter, Maude, remained single,
teaching school. Our last report had her in
Sac City in 1932, where her mother lived with
her. Robert
BARR
also became a school teacher. Our last
information had him and his family living at
Jefferson, IA in 1925. Son Melvin
BARR
moved to Richmond, VA. The remaining survivor
was daughter Sadie
BARR,
who lived in Marcus as a single lady until following
the death of her cousin Mrs. David
GOWAN
(Mary
WARD),
she married Dave
GOWAN
of Cleghorn in 1922. They moved to Orange
County, CA prior to 1932.
Two members of the older generation remained in Canada. Charles and wife Lizzie lived in Cutknife, Alberta, Canada. The youngest brother, Robert, stayed in Canada, buying the home farm in Perth County, Ontario from his siblings, following the death of their father David in 1885.
Jim Radcliffe, the great-great-grandson of David, who submitted this, would like to ask for help in adding to his records of these folks.
Jim Radcliffe
P.O. Box 2497
Ruidoso, NM , 88345
Phone: 505-257-4987
