Marin-San Joaquin County CA Archives Biographies.....Barney, Ai 1804 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 6, 2007, 4:38 am

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  Ai Barney. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait will be found in this
work, was born in Genoa, Cayuga county, New York, on May 26, 1804, where he
resided until he attained the age of eight years, when his family moved to
Niagara county, twenty-two miles east from Buffalo, New York, then counted in
the Far West, the portion wherein they settled being now known as Erie county.
Here he attended the Winter schools, and at the age of nineteen undertook the
charge of a school, which he continued for about seven years. While thus engaged
Mr. Barney neglected not his own advancement but studied industriously at the
dead languages and in time became proficient in both Latin and Greek; about this
time he also commenced the study of medicine, a pursuit he followed until he
arrived at the age of twenty-eight years. At this period of his life he was
despatched by his brother-in-law to Washington, to attend to certain business in
Congress, which having effected he settled in Baltimore in the year 1829. In
1830 he closed his business with his brother-in-law, and in that year moved to
Frederick county, and a short time thereafter to Frederick City, in the State of
Maryland. In 1833 was appointed to the office of Justice of the Peace, a
position he filled with eminent capability for ten years, and in 1844 was
elected County Surveyor, officiating in that capacity until 1849, in which year
he came to California as Vice President of the Baltimore and Frederick Company,
a history of which association will be found in these pages. On September 10,
1849, Mr. Barney arrived in San Francisco, after a tedious voyage, and, with his
confreres, at once established the undertaking for which they had made the
arduous journey. In April, 1850, he visited the mines, in company with three
others, and at about fifteen miles from Stockton commenced operations in quest
of the yellow metal. These he prosecuted until the end of September, when, not
having been very successful, he returned to San Francisco. Mr. Barney then
removed to San Rafael. When at the mines in 1850 the county of Marin was
organized; but after a service of four months Doctor Shorb, the County Judge,
resigned, and Mr. Barney was appointed by the Governor in his stead. He was
elected to that position at the ensuing election, and held the office thereafter
for a lengthened period of seven years. Shortly before the expiration of his
judgeship Mr. Barney purchased a ranch, about two miles from San Rafael,
embracing the Coleman valley and all that, portion of the Murphy rancho lying
east of the Petaluma road, where he resided for two years. He next, in company
with his son, Jerome A. Barney, established the well-known publication, The
Marin County Journal, continuing the paper until 1872, when the present
proprietor, S. F. Barstow, became the purchaser. During that time Mr. Barney was
elected County Superintendent of Public Schools, but on selling the paper he
retired from public life. At the ripe age of seventy-six Mr. Barney preserves
his years with remarkable vigor. In him is to be found a gentleman of vast
experience and much erudition. While on the bench he was accredited an impartial
judge, and to-day he is honored by all, and respected throughout the county.
Married, May 3, 1831, Sophia Ann Rigby, by whom he has a family of nine
children. Their names are:— Alexander, Luther, Jerome, Augustus, John W.,
Charles S., Ruth Anna, and Sophia Ann. John W., Charles S., and Ruth Anna are
now living.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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