Beckham County, OK - Obits: James Taylor Barker, 1929
13 Aug 2007
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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BARKER, JAMES TAYLOR
(19 Sep 1929, Thursday, Erick Democrat, Erick, Beckham Co, OK):
James Taylor Barker was born, March 8th, 1846, and died September 10th,
1929, age 8 (sic) years, six months and two days.
When he was two years old his parents moved from Indiana to Jasper County,
Iowa, where his home was until he moved to Rankin, Oklahoma in 1908.
When 17 years old, James Barker enlisted in Company G., 7th Iowa Cavalry
and served for 3 and 1-2 years during the civil war, in the Union army.
He has always been an ardent supporter of our Union and took great
satisfaction in doing all he could to make Memorial Day a time of true
patriotic spirit - not to further the war spirit; but always for Peace. 
He lived such sentiments - always in harmony with his neighbors - a law
abiding citizen held in highest esteem for his perfect integrity and his
generosity to these (sic) in need and interested in all community
interests even when no longer able to participate actively in the affairs
of the country.
He was married to Clementina Miller at the close of the war.
Of the ten children of this union, two died when small and an older
daughter later in life.
Of those remaining: Richard, William, Charley, Jim and Alva living at
Reydon; Obediah and Rosy Bell, live in Iowa.  After his wife died in 1891
he was again married to Van Louie Miller who passed away seven years ago.
Grandpa Barker, as he has been kindly called by all the neighborhood,
leaves not only these children and 48 grand-children, but there are also
12 great grand-children who have had set before them a life of a worthy
citizen.
Mr. Barker frequently said in the last months of his life that was filled
with terrible suffering that he was ready and wanted to go.
A man of pronounced patriotism he had tried to live the right kind of life
and felt no condemnation.
(10 Oct 1929, Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, Roger Mills Co, OK):
James Taylor Barker was born March 8, 1846 in Logansport, Ind., and died
Sept. 10, 1929 at Rankin, Okla., at the advanced age of 82 years 6 mo. and
2 days.
At the time Mr. Barker moved to Iowa he was two and a half years old and
when he was only seventeen he enlisted in Co. G., 7th Iowa Cav. and served
throughout the civil war in the Union army.  The "little brown button"
that he constantly wore in the lapel of his coat was mute testimony of his
membership in the G. A. R. at Colfax, Iowa and of which he was justly
proud.
Following the close of the war, he was married to Clemintina Miller, of
the children born to this union, Silvia and Johnie died in infancy and
Mrs. Nannie Baldwin in later life.  Seven children living are Mrs. Rose
Hay of Grinall, Iowa, Obadiah of Ira, Iowa, and Richard, William, Charley,
James and Alva, all living at Rankin, Oklahoma.  There are 48 grand
children and 11 great grandchildren.  Following the death of his wife, Mr.
Barker married her sister Van Lue Miller who died after they moved to
Oklahoma.
The family moved from Iowa to Rankin, Okla. in 1908 settling on the home
place they have ever since occupied which now consists of 480 acres of
valuable land three miles from the new town of Reydon, and adjoining the
Santa Fe R. R. that has just been completed from Pampa, Texas to Clinton,
Okla.
Thus in a few words we sum up a long useful life but it does not tell us
of many things that those who have known Grandpa Barker as he was
familiarly called, knew of his life.  A man whose integrity was above
reproach and whose "word was as good as his bond".  He was one of the
citizens in whom our community had perfect confidence - always ready to do
his part in the advancement of the country, he bore the financial as well
as the labor burdens that naturally fell to a public spirited citizen.