USA > Maine > Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume IV > Part 81
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121
(VI) Joseph, son of Nathan and Sarah (Pillsbury) Bailey, was born in Pownalton, Massachusetts, now in Maine, August 10, 1767, "was manifestly a subject of grace- in the year 1790, united with the Baptist church, Balltown, now Whitefield, Maine; began to preach in November, 1794, was ordained as pastor of that church June 20, 1796, was a bold defender of that denomination, belong- ing to the old school until his death March 22, 1848," in Balltown, now Whitefield. He was a representative in the general court of Massachusetts for nine sessions, 1814-22-23- 24, being a staunch Democrat and elected by that party ; was a member of the constitutional convention. He married (first) Rachel Foun- tain, born April 9, 1769, in Bristol, died Feb- ruary 22, 1816; married (second) 1818 Mary Shaw, born September 27, 1789, in Hallowell, died September 23, 1876, in Whitefield. It is said of Rev. Joseph Bailey that he received his first instruction in the house of a neighbor, who instructed a class of boys. He used pine board as a slate and a chunk of crude lead as a pen- cil. The children of Rev. Joseph and Rachel (Fountain) Bailey were: I. Elizabeth, born April 2, 1789, married Nathaniel Carleton, April 1, 1810, and had six children: Joel, Ambrose, Rachel B., Cyrus R., Elizabeth M.,
2068
STATE OF MAINE.
George W. 2. Daniel, died young. 3. Jo- seph, born January 17, 1799, married Susan Palmer and had eight children; Emeline A., Harriet, Daniel P., Susan Jane, Ann Arletta, Abigail P., Harriet Emma and Joseph Henry. 4. Benjamin, born February 24, 1805, married Charlotte Palmer and had three children: Rachel F., Bradford and Charles E. 5. Sarah Ann, born October 25, 1807, married William Goodwin and had one child, Charles C. The children of Rev. Joseph and Mary (Shaw) Bailey were: 6. Elbridge, born November 5, 1820. 7. Nathaniel, born 1827. 8. Augustus (q. v.).
(VII) Augustus, youngest child of Joseph and Mary (Shaw) Bailey, was born in White- field, Maine, April 5, 1832. He attended the district school at Whitefield Plains, and when only a mere lad went to sea, shipping as a sailor before the mast, receiving as wages six dollars per month and his board. His ves- sel was the schooner "Brilliant," Captain Mc- Fadden, and he remained with the schooner for two or three voyages. His next vessel was the "Caroline," under the same captain in the coastwise trade. He settled in Gardiner in 1850, and apprenticed himself to a carriage maker, mastering the trade. in two years. Thereupon he purchased the carriage-making shop and business from J. D. Gardiner, and he conducted a reasonably profitable trade for fifteen years, after which he sold out and en- gaged in the fire and marine insurance busi- ness, and in 1908 had been in that business in Gardiner for forty-three years. He was elected by the Republican party, of which he was always an active worker, a member of the common council of the city of Gardiner, and he served by continuous re-election for seven years and was then promoted to the board of aldermen and served in that office for several years as president of the board. He was also for eleven years a director and treasurer of the Gardiner high school. Gov- ernor Burleigh appointed him inspector of prisons and jails in 1892, and he served un- der successive governors up to 1900. He was a notary public for thirty-five years. He affil- iated with the Masonic fraternity as a mem- ber of Herman Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of Gardiner, was advanced to the Lebanon Chapter, Adoniram Council, Maine Commandery, Knights Templar, No. I, of Gardiner, and to past master of Herman Lodge, past high priest of the chapter; past thrice illustrious of the Council; past com- mander of Maine Commandery, Knights Tem- plar ; permanent member of the Grand Lodge
of Maine; junior grand warden in 1883, and permanent member of the Council by reason of being past right worshipful deputy grand mas- ter. He is also a permanent member of the Grand Commandery of Maine, having been past commander of the Maine Commandery, Knights Templar, No. I. He is representa- tive of the Grand Lodge of Arizona, near the Grand Lodge of Maine; also Grand Council at Indiana, near the Grand Council of Maine. He is also a member of Gardiner Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and a charter member of the lodge. His religious belief is that preferred by the Universalist denomination, and he is a parish clerk of the Universalist church in Gardiner. He was married in 1855 to Abbie, daughter of Solomon and (Philbrook) Plummer, of Windsor. The child of this marriage is Willis H., born 1857, a telegraph operator for the Maine Central railroad. He married (second) June 17, 1863, Annie C. Theobald, of Dres- den, born June 4, 1838, died November 15, 1902, daughter of Captain Charles and Julia (Saunders) Theobald, and the children by his second marriage are : Julia Saunders, born in Gardiner, Maine, February 22, 1866, married, September 15, 1891, Frank Smith Maxcy, and has three children : Alice Steward, born July II, 1892; Louise Theobald, May 13, 1894; Ellis Crossman, August 25, 1902. 2. Alice Isabel, born October 2, 1868, married, May 15, 1891, William Grant Ellis. 3. Annie The- obald, born March 31, 1875, unmarried.
There were several ancestors of BAILEY this name among the pioneers of New England, and their de- scendants are very numerous throughout the United States. The name was actively identi- fied with the formative period in New Hamp- shire's history and it is still connected in a worthy way with the social, moral and material progress of the commonwealth. There are many other lines than the one herein traced.
(I) John Bailey was a resident of Salis- bury, Massachusetts, whither he came from Chippenham, in Wiltshire, England, sailing in the ship "Angel Gabriel," which left England in April, 1635. He was cast away at Pema- quid (now Bristol, Maine), in the great storm of August 15, 1635. He was not accompanied by his wife, but several children, among whom was son John, came with him. He was a weaver by trade, and was living in Salisbury in 1650, removing thence to Newbury in the spring of 1651. He died there November 2, 1651, being called "Old John Bailey." In his will he mentioned "My brother John Emery,
2069
STATE OF MAINE.
Junior, of Newbury, overseer." His home- stead in Salisbury he bequeathed to his son John. His children born in England were: John, Robert and two daughters, who were liv- ing in England when he made his will.
(II)- John (2), eldest child of John (I) Bailey, was born in 1613, in England, and was a weaver in early life; after settling in New England he became a husbandman. He re- mained in Salisbury until 1643, when he moved to Newbury and there passed the remainder of his life. He was a selectman in 1664, and a freeman in 1669. In that year and the fol- lowing, his wife was engaged in the practice of midwifery. He died in March, 1691. He mar- ried, about 1640, Eleanor Emery, and she re- mained his widow until her death, which oc- curred previous to September 23, 1700, when administration was granted upon her estate. Their children were: Rebecca, John, Sarah, Joseph, James, Joshua (died young), Isaac, Joshua, Rachel and Judith.
(III) Joseph, second son of John (2) and Eleanor (Emery) Bailey, was born in New- bury, April 4, 1648. He took the oath of allegiance and fidelity at Newbury, February, 1669. About 1700 he removed to Arundel or Kennebunk, Maine, where he remained until 1703, when he left probably on account of In- dians. He returned in 1714, and was killed by Indians in October, 1723, at the age of sev- enty-five. He bought land in "Cape Porpoise," Arundel or Kennebunkport, in 1692 and 1700, and was at Casco Fort, March, 1704; he was selectman of Arundel, 1719. He married (first) Priscilla Putnam, daughter of John, of Salem Village, Danvers, who died November 6, 1704; (second) Sarah Poore, daughter of John Poore, and widow of John Sawyer. His children were : Rebecca, Priscilla, John, Jo- seph, Hannah, Daniel, Mary, Judith, Lydia and Sarah.
(IV) John (3), eldest son of Joseph and Priscilla (Putnam) Bailey, was born in New- bury, September 16, 1678, was baptized Octo- ber 20, 1678, and died in 1747, aged sixty- nine. He married (first) Mary Bartlett, who was born April 27, 1684, in Newbury, died March 19, 1708, daughter of John and Mary Rust Bartlett. He married (second) Sarah Butler, widow of Job Goddings, of Ipswich, their intentions being published October 6, 17II. John Bailey's will mentions eight chil- dren.
(V) Deacon John (4), son of John (3) and Mary (Bartlett) Bailey, was born in Newbury, March 10, 1701. He was in Newbury when his first child was born and at Marblehead
when his second was born. December 14, 1727, he was admitted a citizen of Falmouth (Portland), Maine, and January 29, 1728, he paid the admission fee of ten pounds which payment is said to have been an exception to the general practice, as most of those admitted never paid the price. December 3, 1729, there was "laid out to Benjamin Ingalls, John Bailey, Benjamin Larabee and Company ad- joining on the falls called Sacarape-being the third falls on the Presumpscot river in the town of Falmouth for the privilege of laying their timber and boards on a certain tract of land on each side of the falls," the boundaries of which are duly set out in the record. Upon the southwesterly side of the large island at this place, Ingalls, Pearce, Larabee and Bailey built a saw mill. In 1739 John Bailey sold to Joseph Conant a "part of a mill and stream of water, for which he agreed to pay one hundred and fifty pounds." January 24, 1737, John Bailey, tailor, and his brother, Joseph, cord- wainer, bought Larabee's interest in the prop- erty. In the year 1731 Deacon Benley bought of Joshua Brackett for forty-five pounds, three acres of land "where deacon Bailey's house now stands, as the same is now fenced and improved, being part of a tract of land which George Cleeve sold Michael Milton." This lot Jane Bailey sold to Anthony Brackett in 1770 for sixteen pounds. In 1732 a seventy-nine acre lot was laid out to John Bailey at the "Narrows of the Neck," with other lots. The lot next westerly of the Bailey lot which was assigned to Rev. Thomas Smith, John Bailey bought in 1735. Deacon Bailey lived in a one- story house, to which a story was added by his son Benjamin, and is now standing on the northerly side of Congress street, between Libby's Corner and Bradley's Corner, Deer- ing, and occupied by Miss Helen M. Bailey, the descent being from Deacon John to son Benjamin, grandson Jeremiah, great-grandson, Captain Francis H., and great-great-grand- daughter, Helen M., August 18, 1750. Dea- con John Bailey "in consideration of divers good causes" gave to his "well-beloved son, John Bailey, of Falmouth, who was his eldest son," "a gore of land adjoining on the north west end of fifty acres that I have given my sun John by will." By the Portland record it appears John Bailey made a will February 20, 1770, and died August 26, 1770, in possession of his Saccarappa mill property which he or- dered divided after his decease among his heirs. His widow, who was his administra- trix, sold some of his land after his death. Deacon Bailey was a man of high character
2070
STATE OF MAINE.
and much in public affairs. January 21, 1728, John Bailey and his wife were admitted to the church. In 1735 Deacon Bailey was chosen tax collector of Falmouth. In 1750, when the bridge at Stroudwater over Fore river was made a toll bridge by act of the general court of Massachusetts, he was chosen tax collector. When Stroudwater parish was organized in 1764, he became its clerk and held that posi- tion till his death. John Bailey had by his first wife eight children: John, Mary, Joseph, Sa- rah, Rachel, Elizabeth, William and David. September 29, 1741, Deacon John Bailey and Jane Curtis, of Gorham, had their intentions of marriage published. She was the widow of Captain John Curtis, a prominent man of Gor- ham and formerly of Gloucester, Massachu- setts. Of this union was one child, Benjamin.
(VI) Benjamin, only son of Deacon and Jane (Curtis) Bailey, was born April 15, 1746, and died at Falmouth, September 26, 1812. He was a farmer and bricklayer. He suc- ceeded to much of his father's landed property. His will was made September 18, 1812. He married, in Falmouth, 1772, Mary Blake, born 1754, died August 24, 1817. Children: I. Thomas, born August 18, 1773, died May 10, 1851 ; married Eleanor Ellery Sawyer, born in Hunnewell, Gloucester, Massachusetts. 2. Susannah, born January 17, 1775, died De- cember, 1856; married Charles Charley, born in Stroudwater, Maine. 3. Thankful, born June 23, 1777, died April 1, 1826; married Charles Curlis, born in Brunswick, Maine. 4. Affiah, born March 31, 1779, died June 23, 1859; married John Martin, born in Haverhill, New Hampshire. 5. John, born May 20, 1781, died November 29, 1810; married Charlotte Martin, born in Haverhill, New Hampshire. 6. George, born March 31, 1783, see forward. 7. Jeremiah, born December 19, 1785, see for- ward. 8. Mary, born April 23, 1787, died May, 1869; married John Mitchell, born in Westbrook, New Hampshire. 9. Benjamin, born March 23, 1789, died March 18, 1828; married Susan Riley, born in Dover, New Hampshire. 10. Dolly, born January 5, 1791, died July 18, 1827; married William Porter- field, born in Stroudvale. II. Samuel, born February 21, 1793, died June 18, 1859. 12. Sarah, born February 26, 1795, died May 16, 1836; married John Jordan, born in Farming- ton, New Hampshire. 13. Isaac Watts, born January II, 1797, died April 16, 1872; mar- ried Bertha -, born in Saccarappa. 14. Frederick Augustus, born December 18, 1799, died September 10, 1879; married Mary Wil- son, born in New York.
(VII) George, son of Benjamin and Mary (Blake) Bailey, was born March 31, 1783, died April II, 1841. He was a wheelwright and lived at the old homestead. Some years before his death he engaged in the practice of botanic medicine, then very much in vogue. He married, January 24, 1808, Elizabeth (Betsy) Webb, who was born in Falmouth, March 4, 1785, died January 18, 1853. Their children were: 1. Walter W., born November 12, 1808, died May 16, 1833 ; he married Maria Lincoln Hobart. 2. Elizabeth Ann, born Jan- uary 7, 1812, died January 27, 1890. 3. John, born November 7, 1813, died in Washington, D. C., March II, 1897; he married Abbie Nichols White. 4. Alpheus, born April 8, 1816, died in Portland, August 11, 1853. 5. George Albert, born February 2, 1820, died December 26, 1877. 6. Charles Edward, see forward.
(VIII) Charles Edward, youngest child of George and Elizabeth (Betsy) (Webb) Bailey, was born in the ancestral home, April 15, 1822, died in Westbrook, April 26, 1899. He was educated in the public schools and at West- brook Seminary. He learned the wheel- wright's trade and carried on that business in Portland until he retired from active life. He married, November 26, 1879, at her home in Deering, Annie Noyes, who was born in Pow- nal, February 13, 1844, daughter of Thomas and Lucretia (Lawrence) Noyes, of Yar- mouth, who were the parents of two other children, as follows: Elizabeth, born July 31, 1842, died in Boston, May 9, 1906; Alice, born July 28, 1846, died December 29, 1885, at Leeds ; she married Joseph F. Moody, of Mon- mouth, Maine, and had four children: Ralph L., married Lila E. Hilton; Harry L., mar- ried Sadie Hanley, and has one child, Carle- ton H .; Annie B., born 1884, died December 24, 1901 ; William Thomas, born October 25, 1884, died April 19, 1889. Thomas Noyes, father of Annie (Noyes) Bailey, was born June 21, 1803, died May 4, 1871, and his wife was born July 13, 1808, died June 25, 1869.
(VII) Jeremiah, son of Benjamin and Mary (Blake) Bailey, was born December 19, 1785, died June 23, 1858. He married Eunice Jones, born 1791, died October 21, 1849, daughter of Captain John Jones, a soldier in the revolu- tionary war. Their children were: I. Fran- cis Henry, born June 7, 1823, see forward. 2. Helen Maria, born October 3, 1826, see for- ward.
(VIII) Francis Henry, son of Jeremiah and Eunice (Jones) Bailey, was born June 7, 1823, died September 26, 1893. He was a sea cap-
The Old Bailey Homestead, 1475 Congress Street, Portland, Maine.
---
1
207I
STATE OF MAINE.
tain and followed the sea many years, going as a boy of fourteen in the brig "Susan Jane," and during his career had many interesting experiences and visited different portions of the globe. He was one of the "Forty-niners," going to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He married Susan Jordan, who died several years prior to his death.
(VIII) Helen Maria, daughter of Jeremiah and Eunice (Jones) Bailey, resides in the old Bailey homestead on Congress street, Deering, where many generations of the family were born and reared. The old house, which at an early period had a stockade built around it to protect the family from the raids of the In- dians, is in good repair, although almost two hundred years old. Miss Bailey has many in- teresting family relics, among them the sword carried by her father in the war of 1812 and the canteen made of wood. The Eastern Ar- gus, a leading paper of Portland, has been a daily and weekly visitor to the old home for a period of one hundred and five years, through many generations.
There are many distinct fam- BARKER ilies of Barkers, which bear dif- ferent coats-of-arms and re- side in various counties of England. The per- sons who first bore this name doubtless made it their business to strip bark from trees and bring it to town for sale; consequently there was a Barker wherever there was a Tanner. The Barkers of county Salop begin their pedi- gree in the year 1200 with Randulph de Cov- erall, whose descendant William changed his name to William le Barker about a hundred years later. In the seventeenth century there was a Robert Barker, of London, the King's printer, who issued the first edition of King James's Bible. This Barker, who died in 1645, belonged to a Yorkshire family and is sup- posed to be the grand-nephew of Sir Christo- pher Barker, K. B., Garter King of Arms. The wife of Governor Edward Winslow, who was a printer by trade, was Elizabeth Barker, and is thought by some writers to have been related to Robert Barker, the King's printer, but there is no direct evidence in support of this theory.
In America the Barker name is frequently found among the early settlers, but it is not known whether the different immigrants were nearly related or not. The first bearing the patronymic on this side the water appear to be the brothers, Robert and John Barker, who were at Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 1632, and afterwards removed to Marshfield. James and
Thomas Barker were at Rowley, Massachu- setts, in 1640, where Thomas was made a freeman on May 13 and James a freeman on October 7 of that year. It is not known whether these men were brothers or not. Rich- ard was at Andover, Massachusetts, in 1645, and was one of the founders of the church there. Edward Barker was at Boston in 1650, and James was at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1651, and was chosen deputy governor of the colony in 1678. There is a group of Barkers about Concord, Massachusetts, who are de- rived from Francis, who settled there in 1646; while those who live about Rowley and Ipswich begin with John.
Two of the oldest houses in New England are associated with the Barker family or fam- ilies. At Pembroke, Massachusetts, formerly a portion of Duxbury, recently stood a dwelling built by Robert Barker somewhere about 1650. The earliest portion of the structure was a single room built of flat stones laid in clay and covered with a shed roof. In 1722 the walls were covered with sheathing and other rooms added, so as to form a large wooden building. It stood near a large brook which once furnished power for a saw mill. The house was for several generations a sort of tavern, much frequented by travellers from Boston. Judge Samuel Sewall mentions in his diary of stopping at this place on his way to hold court at Plymouth; and in 1681 Robert Barker's wife was fined for selling cider to the Indians. The strength of the building and the fact that it had a well within its walls, caused it to be made a garrison-house during King Philip's war in 1679, and a part of the barri- cade of hewn timber remained for a century later. At Scituate Harbor still stands a com- fortable house which has been occupied by Barkers for more than two centuries. It was built in 1634 by John Williams, the father-in- law of John Barker, and was for a time used for a garrison-house, as appears from its massive inner walls of brick pierced with loop- holes. The building is in a good state of pres- ervation, but has been considerably modern- ized.
A few years ago an old deed with a seal bearing the coat-of-arms, was accidentally dis- covered in a junk shop at Providence, Rhode Island. The deed was signed in 1694 by Sam- uel and Francis Barker, of Scituate. The escutcheon consists of a field with bars or and sable, crossed by a bend, gules. The crest is an eagle displayed, surmounting a crown. This emblem, according to Burke, belongs to the Barkers of Kent, Middlesex and Surrey ;
2072
STATE OF MAINE.
and we know that the early settlers of Scitu- ate were called "the men of Kent," which would seem to indicate the English home of Robert and John, the Scituate pioneers.
(I) Asa Barker was born at Medford, Mas- sachusetts, in February, 1749. Owing to the number of early immigrants bearing the name, and to the absence of records, it is impossible to tell from which line he is descended. There is a tradition that he was one of "the embattled farmers" of the revolution. There are no less than five Asa Barkers recorded on the Massa- chusetts rolls as serving during that war, but only two of them took part in the Concord fight. One was Asa Barker, of Andover, a private in Lieutenant Peter Poor's company, whose service amounted to three days and a half. The other was Asa Barker, of Ipswich, a corporal in Captain Nathaniel Wade's com- pany, whose service amounted to twenty-one days. There is some reason to suppose that the latter one may have been the one born at Medford, because many of the early settlers of Bridgton, Maine, came from Ipswich. Asa Barker moved to Bridgton in 1793, and the next year his name appears on the list of the town's inhabitants as being at the head of the largest family in town, consisting of seven males and four females. The name of his wife was Lucy, but the date of his marriage is unknown, and only four of his children are recorded: Lucy, William, Jonathan, whose sketch follows, and Asa.
(II) Jonathan, son of Asa and Lucy Bar- ker, was born at Medford, Massachusetts, September 18, 1785. At the age of eight years he moved with his people to Bridgton, Maine, where his father, one of the pioneers, subse- quently developed a fine farm. Jonathan at- tended the public schools in his new home, and when he had attained his majority, turned his attention to the lumber business. In later life he owned the canal boats on the Cumberland canal. He was a prominent citizen, and was justice of the peace for many years. In 1806 Jonathan Barker married (first) Mehitable Farnum, of Sebago, Maine, who bore him two children : Elmira, May 7, 1807 ; and Timothy June 8, 1809. He married (second), Cath- erine Mitchell, daughter of Josiah Mitchell. There were nine children by the second mar- riage: William, born April 15, 1812; Asa, December 19, 1814; Mehitable, January II, 1816; Jonathan, October 13, 1817; Benjamin, April 12, 1819 ; Charles K., February 18, 1821 ; James L., September 10, 1822 ; Cyrus I., whose sketch follows; Otis B., November 13, 1830.
(III) Cyrus I., seventh son of Jonathan
Barker and his second wife, Catherine ( Mitch- ell) Barker, was born at Bridgton, Maine, No- vember 11,'1827. Being next to the youngest in a family of eleven children, he was early thrown upon his own resources. His elder brothers had left home as soon as they were able to work, and Cyrus I. thought it was his duty to follow their example. He had already been employed upon neighboring farms and in a quarry, but his tastes were mechanical, and he wished to go out into the world. His father gave him ten dollars, and Cyrus I. set forth to seek his fortune. He first went to Portland, but finding nothing there kept on to Boston. Being again unsuccessful in obtaining employ- ment suited to a boy of his years, he returned to Portland with only a few pennies in his pocket. While there he heard of a position at Brunswick, which he might get if he could reach the place. Having no money, he was obliged to ask the loan of a dollar from the man with whom he was staying. By this means he was enabled to pay his fare to Bruns- wick, where he obtained the situation and stayed some time. In 1845, at the age of eighteen, he went to Saco, Maine, to enter the York Mills, and it was there that he began his long and notable career and laid the founda- tion of his thorough knowledge of cotton man- ufacturing. He started at the lowest round of the ladder by tending a "lap alley" in the York Mills. By degrees his diligence and painstaking were rewarded by promotion, which advanced him through the various grades to the position of overseer. During the fifteen years he was employed in these mills he became thoroughly conversant with the business of cotton manu- facturing. In 1860 Mr. Samuel M. Batchelder, treasurer of the York Mills, who had watched Mr. Barker's progress with friendly and busi- ness interest, bought the Everett Mill in Law- rence, Massachusetts, and employed him to take charge of the carding department. Eight sets of woolen machinery had been placed in the mill and the starting and oversight of these were intrusted to Mr. Barker. He soon fa- miliarized himself with the details of woolen manufacturing, and in 1865 was appointed general manager for A. Campbell and Com- pany, a firm just beginning the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods in Philadelphia. In the three years that he was their agent, Mr. Barker planned and erected a stone and brick mill, six hundred feet long, seven stories high, with forty thousand spindles. Early in 1868 Benjamin E. Bates induced Mr. Barker to give the advantage of his skill, experience and busi- ness-energy to the development of manufactur-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.