Des Moines County IA Archives Biographies.....Barhydt, Theodore Wells 1835 - 
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Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

THEODORE WELLS BARHYDT, president of the Merchants' National Bank of Burlington,
has long been a prominent factor in the business circles of this city. He dates
his arrival here forty years ago, when the now great State of Iowa had not
within her borders a single mile of railroad, and when the new State was for the
most part unimproved and thinly settled. The history of a life like his, full of
activity and usefulness, and in a city and State which have kept pace with the
marvelous development of the age, can not fail to be both interesting and
instructive.

   Mr. Barhydt is a native of Newark, New Jersey, born April 10, 1835, son of
Nicholas and Phoebe H. (Gardner) Barhydt, his father a native of New York and
his mother of New Jersey. In their family were four children, two daughters and
two sons, of whom only the sons are now living,-Theodore W. and Aaron G. The
latter is a resident of Claremore, Indian Territory. Nicholas Barhydt, their
father, was for some years a boot and shoe merchant of Schenectady, New York,
and died there in 1851, at the age of thirty-eight years. His wife also died in
early life, her death occurring in 1841, at the age of twenty-four. They were
Presbyterians.

   Jerome Barhydt, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was likewise a
native of the Empire State, and was a descendant of Jeromenus Barhydt, who, with
his brother Andreas, settled on the Hudson river near Coxsackie, in the vicinity
of Albany, in the year 1665. Jerome Barhydt was a man who measured nearly six
feet, was a well-to-do farmer, owning both a farm and property in Schenectady,
and was well known and much respected. He was a veteran of the* Revolution, and
in his old age was honored as such by his fellow citizens. On a certain Fourth
of July near the close of his life he and another old soldier of the Revolution
were the honored men of the day, being given seats in a barouche and occupying a
conspicuous place in the procession. At the time he died he was eighty-four.
Grandmother Barhydt was in Schoharie Fort during the Revolutionary war, being a
little girl at that time, and helped to make bullets for the soldiers. Her
people were all in good circumstances, and were related to the noted Major.
Becker. In their family were thirteen children, Nicholas being the youngest.

   Mr. Barhydt's maternal grandfather was Aaron A. Gardner, who was a
manufacturer of shoes for the wholesale trade, in Newark, New Jersey, and sold
his goods throughout all the South and portions of the Southwest. Personally, he
was a large, well-built man, genial in manner, and commanding the respect of all
with whom he came in contact. At the time of his death he was well advanced in
years. He was a Presbyterian and a great friend of the Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen.

   Having thus briefly referred to his ancestry, we come now to the life of Mr.
T. W. Barhydt, our immediate subject. He was reared in Schenectady, New York,
and received an academic education in the Lyceum Academy of that place, where
many students were prepared for Union College. Up to the age of sixteen his time
was spent in his father's store and in attending school. In 1855, he came out
West to Iowa and took up his abode in Burlington, having an uncle and aunt, Dr.
and Mrs. G. W. Snyder, residing here; and we may here state that it was through
their influence that he selected this place for his home. An important event in
his life history occurred just before his coming West, namely, his marriage.

   Soon after his arrival in Burlington, Mr. Barhydt accepted a position as
clerk in the shoe store of Mr. Sweetzer, and not long afterward became one of
the principal clerks in the post-office. In 1859 he opened a new boot and shoe
store, in partnership with Mr. Tizzard, with whom he had been in the
post-office, and this association continued one year, after which Mr. Barhydt
purchased his partner's interest and for some years ran the business alone.
Since 1866 he has had for his partner Mr. Henry A. Brown, his brother-in-law,
but has not been active in this business for twenty years. Mr. Barhydt assisted
in the organization of the Merchants' National Bank in 1870, and has since that
time been its president.

   He became interested in the building of Iowa railroads, and was one of the
organizers of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota (now the Burlington,
Cedar Rapids & Northern) Railroad Company, and was for several years one of its
directors, and a member of the executive committee; also one of the directors of
the Burlington & Southwestern Railroad, and is now president of the Burlington &
Northwestern and Burlington & Western Railroad Companies.

   Mr. Barhydt is largely interested in real estate in Burlington, and is the
owner of the Delano Hotel, and several other fine business buildings. By his
enterprise and energy he has caused many substantial improvements to be made,
and is entitled to much credit for the share he has had in improving and
developing the city. He was one of the citizens through whose influence the
Burlington Water Works was established, and one of the principal promoters and
builders of the first street railroad in the city, serving for some years as
treasurer of the company. He has been president of the Board of Trade, a member
of the City Council, and a Director and Treasurer of the City Water Company. In
fact most of the principal enterprises of the city have felt the influence of
Mr. Barhydt's touch, as he has always taken an active part in any project
calculated to benefit and increase the business advantages of Burlington.

   Mr. Barhydt's pleasant residence is at No. 420 Iowa street, Burlington. Of
his wife, we record that her maiden name was Eleanor Christiancy; her father and
mother, Isaac and Maria (Vedder) Christiancy,-both the Vedders and Christiancys
being of Knickerbocker stock of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Barhydt are members of
the First Presbyterian Church.

   For several years he has been prominently connected with the Masonic order,
being a member of Des Moines Lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. M.; of Iowa Chapter, No.
1, R. A. M.; St. Omar Commandery, No. 15, K. T., and of Kaaba Temple, of the
Mystic Shrine. Also he is a member of the Sons of the Revolution and is one of
its board of managers for the State of Iowa.

  Politically, he has always been connected with the Democratic party, but has
been too closely confined to business pursuits to desire or accept public
office. Business is his natural element, and in the legitimate channels of trade
and finance he has won success, accumulated a valuable property and acquired the
reputation of an enterprising, upright and honorable man.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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