BIOGRAPHY: Samuel Barr; Stockbridge, Madison co., NY

submitted by W. D. Samuelsen
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Biographical Review
The Leading Citizens of Madison County, New York
pub. 1894, Boston, Biographical Review Publishing Company

SAMUEL BARR, a highly respected farmer of Stockbridge, is the owner of ninety
acres of good land, and on his comfortable homestead is enjoying the reward of
earlier years of toil and industry. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, the Barr
family having originated in Scotland, going from there to Ireland. The
grandfather of our subject, Samuel Barr, came to this country from Ireland
with his parents when a boy. He grew to manhood in New Hampshire, and did
active duty in the Revolutionary War, afterward returning to his adopted
State, where he remained until his death. Samuel Barr, father of our subject,
was born in New Hampshire, and there reared and educated. When a young man, he
came to Madison County, and located in Stockbridge, being one of the first
white settlers in the town. He bought a tract of wild land from the Indians,
on which stood an Indian hut, which was his first dwelling-house in this
county. Returning to the Granite State, he married the maiden of his choice,
Mary McMillan, and, bringing her to Stockbridge, installed her as mistress of
his home. He traded and lived on friendly terms with his dusky neighbors for
many years, always finding them honest and fair in their dealings. He cleared
his land, improving a farm of fifty acres ; and he and his wife spent their
entire wedded life on the homestead, dying at the ages of seventy-nine and
sixty-four years, respectively. They were honored members of the Universalist
church, and he was a Republican in politics. They reared a family of four
children: Mercy Jane, wife of Levi Collins, of Florida; Nancy Ann, widow of
Calvin Bush, and living in Stockbridge; Samuel, our subject; and Margaret M.,
wife of Alvin T. Campbell, of Munnsville.

The subject of this brief history, the third in order of generation to bear
the name of Samuel, has spent his entire life in the place of his nativity. He
obtained his education in the pioneer schools of his day, assisting his father
when at home in the labors of the farm, doing his part in clearing the land of
the heavy timber, breaking the sod, and tilling the soil on the homestead,
which eventually came into his possession, and where he has always lived.
Since becoming the owner of the farm he has added to it by purchase, and is
now the owner of ninety-eight acres of excel-lent land, where he is
successfully engaged in stock-raising and general farming, hops being the
principal crop. In addition, he always had a good dairy, which he managed with
profit.

Mr. Barr was married April 3, 1858, to Rosetta Clements, a native of
Stockbridge, born April 3, 1840. She died on the homestead, September 3, 1886.
Of their marriage there are five children. James Francis, born January 20,
1859, .and William E., born October 12, 1860, are married, and reside in
Stockbridge. Mary L., born January 25, 1864, is the wife of C. A. Moore, a
druggist in Wayne County. Robert S., born January 21, 1814, resides with Mrs.
Moore in Lyons, and is a clerk in the drug-store of his brother-in-law. Leon
C., born September 20, 1877, is attending school at Canastota.

Mr. Barr still resides on the homestead, although he has given up the care of
the farm to other hands, leasing it each year. He has been prominent in the
affairs of his town, and is a valued member of the community, well worthy of
the high regard in which he is held. For three years he served his town as
Excise Commissioner, and has several times been elected Constable, but has
never served. Politically, he is a steadfast Republican.