Monday, December 31, 2007

Rev. Newton Barrett, son Edward and grandson Albert

Rev. Newton Barrett (1812-1904), his son Edward Newton Barrett (1843-1901) and Edward's son Albert Moore Barrett (1871-1936)
[Newton is the Barrett Brothers' gggrandfather, Edward and Albert are the uncle and first cousin of the Barrett Brothers' grandfather.] This photograph was taken about 1890.
Newton Barrett's grandson Newton Eliot Barrett (1890-1986) wrote this about the photograph:

Grandpa like all fathers and grandfathers, prized his progeny; and I am sure, looked for the time when he could have all of them together. Here he arranged for a photo of three generations, the eldest in each being shown together. Uncle Ed (Edward Newton) is to me only a shadowy fig¬ure--I saw him a number of times when Father and I went to Iowa City to visit him. As far as I recall, he never came to Prairie du Sac. He was a successful minister, being university pastor at the State U. of Iowa for the last dozen years of his life. In view of a short term of service in the Northern Army in the Civil War (probably Jan-Apr. 1965) he was made Chaplain of the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) in the ‘70s & ‘80s. Rose remembers him as genial, not devoid of humor.
Vital Statistics: Born Brecksville, Ohio, Mar. 1843
Graduated Knox College, Galesburg, Ill. 1866
Graduated Union Theological Seminary Chicago 1870
Licensed to preach 1868
Married Anna Moore (1848-1878) in 1870.
Took his bride to Ausin (now part of Chicago) to found new Church, 1870. Served (for a time in connection with Estminster Church) till 1876.
Pastor at Waterloo, Iowa 1876-1887.
Independence Iowa 1887-1889.
Iowa City. 1889-1901.
He died (probably from the family affliction of diabetes) May 8, 1901
Children: Albert Moore 1871 – Apr. 2, 1936
Mary Elizabeth 1873- 10-11-1946 unmarried
Grace Adah 1871—28 1876
Anna Moore 1-20-1878

Albert married Eliz. Bowman(m. Jul. 8, 1905 b 9-15-1928)
Child, Edward Bowman Mar. 8 1910
He had daughter Eliz. Ladd Jan. 7, 1950

Ed’s wife died soon after Anne’s birth.
He married her Cousin, distinguished school principal, Chicago (1843-1925) in 1884.

“Bert”, Albert Moore Barrett was his only son, eldest child, 19 years older than I. I have a few recollections of him – during his professional school days and his busy life as Professor. He once visited us at Prairie du Sac. I was afflicted with an ache in my left eye (later diagnosed and corrected by chiropractors as an ill-adjusted vertebra in my neck.) Bert bandaged the area in a white cloth, and I slept. He came for a visit to the Family in Iowa City, having come from Cedar Rapids on the maiden trip of an interurban car, which was wrecked, injuring many passengers. He gave emergency treatment to a number of the victims. He refused an offer of compensation for this, but asked that they replace his straw hat, which had some blood spots on the brim. He was upset nervously—couldn’t enjoy Phil’s and my fireworks we shot off, this being July 4th while I visited them. He bought a pair of bone forceps, to use skinning catfish.
He graduated from Iowa Univ medical school, then took a degree at Heidelburg, Germany, in what is now psychiatry. He became Professor of “brain and nervous diseases” at Ann Arbor, (Michigan University) till his death. He was head of the department and director of the clinical hospital (the “bug house” as he facetiously called it.) He got $100 for consultations. He served the armed forces (probably from his university location) during World War I. Thus he was undoubtedly the most widely known and conspicuous success in our branch of the tribe.
On my 21st birthday, during a vacation from Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash., I worked in “harvest”—wheat threshing near that city. The sack sewer of the crew was Harry Tash, a neighbor of the operator of the enterprise, home for the summer from Mich. Univ. Medical School. When we discovered that he was a student under, among others, Albert Moore Barrett, he said, “Oh, yes. We call him “Hell-rearing Jake” – he lectured so fast nobody can keep up with him in taking notes.” Cousin Mary laughed at this when I told her—saying, “He was always so nervous, this is just like him.”

1 comment:

TaiOfMine said...

Randomly Googling people from distant branches and found your blog! :D This is very cool. Thanks for sharing!