Clinton County IN Archives Biographies.....Barner, John 1810 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 2, 2011, 8:24 pm Source: See below Author: Interstate Publishing Co. JOHN BARNER was born in Surry County, North Carolina, January 11, 1810. His parents were of American birth, of French, German and Irish extraction, in 1814, he with his parents emigrated to and settled in Bledsoe County, Tennessee; his father Horatio Barner, was a millwright, and in 1818, settled four miles north of Pikeville. There he erected a mill on a stream that headed under Walden's Ridge. On this tract of about one hundred acres, on which the dwelling, the mill, the cabinet shop, and farm were situated, the subject of this sketch spent some of his happiest days which are still fresh in his memory. He attended, at intervals, to a limited extent, a common school in the neighborhood, and in the meantime worked on the farm, raised corn and cotton, attended the mill and learned cabinet making until the spring of 1828, when his father received a letter from his only brother, John Barner, then residing near Connersville, Indiana, giving a glowing description of this new State. His father consented at once for his son to come to Indiana, and procured for him a written recommendation from the neighbors certifying to his good character, and that he had consented for him to leave home, and that he had learned a trade. On the 27th of March, 1828, in his nineteenth year, he left his parental roof, traveled on foot with his knapsack on his back and a rifle on his shoulder, through Kentucky, by the mouth of Salt River and Louisville, ending the Ohio at Shippingsport; thence by New Albany and Salem, reaching Bloomington on the 7th of April, 1828. The first day's work done in this State was for Mr. John Dunning, the bookbinder, with whom he boarded. He cut down a beech tree in Mr. Alexander's pasture for firewood, which he assisted Mr. Dunning to draw with a yoke of oxen. He then commenced working at cabinet-making with James Teal and John Collins. The first political speech he recollects of hearing in this State, was made by Ratliff Boone, and probably about this time his political opinions were formed. During the winter of 1828-'29, he worked for J. and B. Draper, twin brothers, who carried on a cabinet-shop and store at Moon's Mill, near Mooresville, Morgan County, and in the spring of 1829 he went with the Drapers to Indianapolis, where they continued their shop and store, adding a tread-mill and wool-carding machine to their business. In the winter of 1829-'30, he worked in the cabinet shop of David Patrick, at Logansport, returning to Indianapolis in the spring, and continuing to work at his trade in a frame shop, on a lot now occupied by the Bates House. In May, 1830, he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a teacher in the Sabbath-school in the old church recently occupied by the Sentinel building, and on the 27th day of February, 1831, he was united in marriage to Mary Darnell, daughter of James Darnell, an early settler of Marion County. This worthy Christian woman was called away by death on the 21st of June, 1884. On the 19th of May, 1832, he with his wife and one child, reached Frankfort in a wagon drawn by an ox-team, bringing their household goods, and his chest of tools; and in a few days had two good work benches and all the conveniences of a little cabinet-shop, which business he conducted for twenty-four years. On the 31st of January, 1834, he was, on the recommendation of his friends and the influence of Hon. Edward A. Hannegan, then in Congress, appointed postmaster at Frankfort, which position he filled faithfully through the administrations of Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk and Tayler, and resigned in October, 1849, being succeeded by Hon. John M. Cowan. In August, 1843, he was elected clerk of the Circuit Court of Clinton County, and was re-elected in 1850 and 1855. He discharged the various duties of this office with skill and fidelity, giving entire satisfaction to the bar and the public His long service in the clerk's office, as one of his friends remarked to him, "Would qualify him for any business," consequently on retiring from the office he was, on the 9th day of April, 1860, admitted to the bar; and by his industry and long practice, is considered one among the best probate attorneys in the county. He is not an advocate, but a good office lawyer and a safe counsel. He has been identified with all the improvements of the county and town for over fifty years. In the spring of 1866, he and his son, John H. Barner, formed a limited partnership, under the firm name of J. H. Barner & Co., which was one of the most reliable dry-goods houses in the place until the death of his son in 1885. In 1873 he erected the largest three story brick business block in the city, the corner room of which is occupied by this firm, which has done an extensive trade. When this block was in process of building the Odd Fellows were casting about for place to build a hall. Mr. Barner generously donated them the right to build on the third story with the right of stairway. Mr. Barner represented this, the Old Eighth Congressional District as delegate to the National Convention, that assembled at Baltimore in May, 1852, which nominated Pierce and King. He has always been a sterling Democrat, and has heard all of the old political masters on the "stump." He has given material aid without stint to all the public improvements of the city and county. His aid in church building has probably been greater than any other citizen. For over forty years he has been one of the Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church, of Frankfort, and president of the board while building their third church on the same lots. He has served many years as treasurer of the Clinton County Bible Society, and is now the secretary of that organization, and was present and assisted in the organization of the first Sabbath-school in Frankfort, in June, 1832. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Sabbath-school since 1841, and a regular and faithful worker, and for eighteen years was superintendent. He assisted in all of the railroad organizations by the devotion of time and means for their consummation. The Air Line was considered his favorite, by our railroad friends here, and from its incipiency, was referred to as "his line," and can probably be accounted for from the fact he had had a long felt desire to see that territory laid with iron from Indianapolis to Frankfort, that he had passed over so many yean ago, in the rough and primitive way, referred to above, connecting his last places of residence. That Mr. Barner has been spared to see this great enterprise completed is one of the happy events of his life; and was permitted to visit Indianapolis, with his late companion, over this road soon after its completion. What a change was realized in the time over this territory in a period of fifty years—then the journey was numbered by days and now by a couple of hours. He was appointed by the court receiver to settle up the affairs of the first railroad organized here that failed—the C. F. K. & Ft. W. R. R. Company. The settlement was satisfactory to all of the creditors, and the bed of the road was made over to the parties who completed the first road to Frankfort. From its organization, Mr. Barner has been secretary of the Old Settlers' Association of Clinton County, and taken a great interest in its annual meetings, contributing all in his power to make them successful; and notes the dropping off of its pioneer members with marked regret and a solemn recognition of the fate that awaits us all. A leading trait in all his relations of life is living up to and discharging his obligations and engagements secular or otherwise. In Mr. Barner, we have another example of a self-made man, who by his own exertions, courageous and persevering, has climbed the ladder of success from the lowest rung. To-day, in his seventy-seventh year, and although far down on the waning side of life, he is fairly hearty, and with the remarkable preservation of his mental and physical organization, is an evidence of a well-spent life, and we sincerely hope he may enjoy the fruits of his honest toil for years to come. Mr. and Mrs. Barner were the parents of five children—John H., who died April 22, 1885, aged fifty-three years; David P., aged fifty-two; Mary E. Hill, aged fifty; Judith Sample, aged forty-seven, and Indiana G. Ghere, aged forty-five. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, INDIANA, TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF ITS CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNS, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, CIVIL, MILITARY, AND POLITICAL HISTORY, PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT PERSONS, AND BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. ILLUSTRATED. CHICAGO: INTER-STATE PUBLISHING CO. 1886. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/clinton/photos/bios/barner1124gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/clinton/bios/barner1124gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 9.4 Kb