Calvin F. Barber Biography


	This biography appears on pages 805-806 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				CALVIN F. BARBER. 

	Calvin F. Barber, now serving his second term as recorder of 
Sully county, is a veteran of the Spanish-American war and is well 
known and highly esteemed in his community. He was born in Wyoming, 
Wyoming county, New York, August 2, 1874, and was about eleven years of 
age when the family removed to South Dakota. He attended school in 
Onida and later was for five terms a student in Pierre College at 
Pierre under Dr. Blackburn. In 1892 he taught school in Fairbank 
township, Sully county, and in the following year went to Chicago, 
where he attended the World's Columbian Exposition. During the balance 
of that year he was employed in an abstract office at Onida, but in 
1894 and 1895 he again gave his time to study. Upon leaving school he 
resumed the occupation of teaching, in which he continued until 1898. 
In that year he went to Sioux Falls and on the 1st of May enlisted in 
the First Regiment, South Dakota Volunteer Cavalry, as a private for 
service in the Spanish American war. He was with his command in the 
Philippines for eleven and a half months and was mustered out on the 
5th of October, 1899, at San Francisco with the rank of corporal. He 
then returned to Onida and taught school for a time. In the spring of 
1894 he removed to a ranch near Okobojo, where he engaged in stock 
raising until the spring of 1910. He next went to Idaho and Washington, 
but returned in 1911, in which year his father died. He was then made 
manager of a grain elevator at Agar, Sully county, and continued in 
that connection until he was elected register of deeds, when he removed 
to Onida, the county seat. His efficient discharge of the duties in 
that office led to his reelection and he is now serving his second 
term. He devotes his entire time to his work as recorder and his 
services are very satisfactory to his constituents. He owns property 
both in Agar and Onida. 

	Mr. Barber was married on the 1st of June, 1904, to Miss Vena B. 
Cass, who was born in Shenandoah, Iowa. Her father, George W. Cass, is 
a native of Vermont but removed to Whiteside county, Illinois, whence 
he enlisted during the Civil war in a regiment of Illinois Volunteer 
Cavalry, with which command he served for three years in the Union 
army. In 1883 he removed to South Dakota and located north of Onida in 
what is now Agar. About 1890 he went to Iowa but he is now living 
retired in Clinton, Illinois. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Julia 
E. Marshall. To them were born four children, of whom Mrs. Barber is 
the third. Mr. and Mrs. Barber are the parents of three children: Earl 
Ward, whose birth occurred on the 30th of March, 1905; Julia M., born 
August 1, 1909; and Edward B., born August 13, 1912. 

	Mr. Barber is a stalwart republican and works loyally for the 
success of that party at the polls. His religious faith is that of the 
Presbyterian church and fraternally he belongs to the Masonic blue 
lodge at Onida, in which he is at present serving as junior guard, and 
to the Modern Brotherhood of America. Throughout his life he has 
manifested marked public spirit which has found expression in work for 
the general good during the times of peace as well as in his military 
service. His friends are many and all who know him respect him 
sincerely.