James H. Barkley, p. 754

JAMES H. BARKLEY, a well-known stock raiser of Nottingham township, is a native of the same. His father, James N. Barkley, was born in 1824, in this county, and when yet a boy learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for one year, then bought the home farm, containing fifty-seven acres in Nottingham township. On October 25, 1837, he was united in marriage with Sarah Caster, who was born in 1816, in Allegheny county, Penn., and their children were born as follows: Robert, James, Thomas, Frank, Catherine (wife of L. Culbertson), Caroline (married to William Hamilton) and Maggie (Mrs. F. Irwin). The father died in 1886; the mother is yet living.

James H. Barkley was born May 12, 1850, in Washington county, where his youth was passed. He worked in a sawmill for three years for Maj. James Gaston, and on March 10, 1880, made choice of a life companion in the person of Patience B. Hamilton, a native of this county, and daughter of James R. Hamilton. The latter was born in 1818, in Peters township, Washington county, and received a classical education. During his earlier years he followed the profession of school-teaching, and being solely dependent upon his daily earnings for a livelihood, he was obliged to practice strict economy. In 1846 James R. Hamilton was married to Miss Patience Morrison, a native of this county, and having managed to save a small amount of his salary, the young man bought a little farm in Nottingham township, this county, upon which he and his bride began their wedded life. They were poor in worldly goods, but rich in the possession of health and love. Fortune soon began to smile on the brave young couple, who met her frowns with such cheery faces, and as years passed on children came to brighten the little home as follows: Patience B. (Mrs. Barkley), William H. L., Charles James Reed, John H.G., Joseph G. P., Elizabeth Ann, Margaret Elnora and Mary Jane. Of these the three latter are deceased. At the time of his death, James R. Hamilton owned 300 acres of land.

James H. and Patience B. (Hamilton) Barkley have had five children, namely: Reed, Lee (deceased), Earl, Mary and Ralph. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Barkley settled on the home place, where they have since resided, and upon which he raises a variety of good stock. Politically he is a firm believer in the principles advanced by the Republican party, and in religion he and his family are all members of the Methodist Church.

Text taken from page 754 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed April 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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