Mississippi County ArArchives Biographies.....Barham, George W. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 June 12, 2009, 6:13 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) GEORGE W. BARHAM. One of the prominent and successful attorneys of Blytheville is George W. Barham, who has engaged in the general practice of his profession here since 1919. He was born near Hornersville, Dunklin county, Missouri, on the 25th of February, 1876, a son of Jonathan R. and Mary E. (Hickman) Barham. On the paternal side he is of English and Scotch descent, while his mother's ancestors came from Ireland. The father, J. R. Barham, whose demise occurred in 1907, at the age of sixty-four years, was for many years prominent in the public life of Missouri. He was born in South Carolina, but reared in Tennessee, where he received his education and enlisted from that state for service in the Confederate army in the Civil war, during which he served as a lieutenant of cavalry. Directly after the war he came to Mississippi county, Arkansas, and resided here until two years later, when he came to Missouri and engaged in black-smithing and wagon-making, also farming, near Bloomfield, that state. He achieved substantial success and was soon called to public office, being elected sheriff of Stoddard county in 1888. He was active in that capacity four years, at the termination of that time taking over the office of county collector for a like period. He was one of the public-spirited and progressive citizens of the community in which he resided and was an influential factor in the upbuilding of both the county and state. His demise, on July 24, 1907, caused a feeling of deep bereavement to sweep the communities in which he was so well known. At Union City, Tennessee, soon after the Civil war Mr. Barham was married to Miss Mary E. Hickman, who survives her husband and is living in Bloomfield, at the age of sixty-eight years. She was born and reared in Tennessee. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Barham ten children were born, five boys and five girls, and four of the boys and three of the girls are living. In the acquirement of his education George W. Barham attended the common schools of Bloomfield, Missouri, and after graduating from the eighth grade he became assistant in his father's office. He was active in that capacity for four years when he became deputy in the collector's office, the collector being his father, and at the termination of that time he became bookkeeper for the Goff Mercantile Company of Desloge, Missouri. He remained with that concern until 1902, when he became traveling salesman for the Nicholas Sharff & Sons Grocery Company of St. Louis, an association he maintained until 1907. He then assisted in the organization of the Norwine Coffee Company of St. Louis, serving as vice president and a director until 1912, when he severed his relations with that firm and took up the study of law, attending night school at the City College of Law, and during the day working as assistant sales manager tor D. A. Blanton & Company of that city. The LL. B. degree was conferred upon him in 1916. He came to Mississippi county and located at Manila, where he practiced with substantial success until 1919. In that year he came to Blytheville and he has practiced here since, having built up an extensive and lucrative clientage, handling much important litigation before the courts. His practice has been chiefly civil. Since coming here he has gained for himself an enviable position among the leading attorneys of the county and has made many stanch friends. Mr. Barham has been twice married. His first marriage was celebrated at Bloomfield, Missouri, on the 27th of December, 1897, when Miss Anna Casey, a daughter of J. J. and Mollie Casey, prominent residents of that community, became his wife. She was the granddaughter of Zadoc Casey, one of the well known charcters in the Black Hawk war. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Barham two children were born: Earl Bruce, twenty years of age, who is now attending the Morgan School, Petersburg, Tennessee, is in his junior year and is completing a literary course; and Gladys May, seventeen years of age, is attending the junior high school at Blytheville. Mrs. Barham's demise occurred on the 12th of February, 1907, when she was in her twenty-fifth year. At Farmington, Missouri, on the 4th of May, 1912, occurred the marriage of Mr. Barham to Miss Lula M. Conts, a daughter of J. D. and Mary E. Conts, well known residents of that community. To the second union one child has been born, which died in infancy Since attaining his majority Mr. Barham has given his political endorsement tc the democratic party, having firm belief in the principles of that party as factors in good government. His religious faith is that of the Christian church and for some time he has been active as secretary and treasurer of the Sunday school. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, holding membership in Chickasha Lodge, No. 134, A. F. & A. M. of Blytheville and the Royal Arch Chapter here. He likewise belongs to the local lodge, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. During the World war Mr. Barham put all personal interests aside and was tireless in promoting the government's interests. He was a member of the legal advisory board of Mississippi county, food administrator for the west end of this county and one of the Four-Minute men. Mr. Barham is readily conceded to be one of Blytheville's leading citizens and he has wielded a great influence for good in this community. Although he was thirty-seven years of age when he took up the study of law, he has achieved more than substantial success as a practitioner and is ranked with the leading attorneys of Mississippi county and the state. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/mississippi/bios/barham77bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 6.3 Kb