Bio: Barney, Henry (1914)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Barney, Lincoln, Arthur, Wilder, Daniels, Sweet, Jenson, Johnson, Olson

----Source: History of Eau Claire County Wisconsin (1914) pages 645-646

Henry Barney, public spirited citizen and manufacturers' agent, of Fairchild, is the son of Godfrey W. and Lorinda (Wilder) Barney, and was born in Belleville, Jefferson county, N. Y., May 9, 1852. His father was also born in Jefferson county, and his mother was a native of Vermont. In 1858 the parents came to Wisconsin with their family and settled on 320 acres of land in Juneau county; the land was in three parcels, one of which consisted of 80 acres, to which was subsequently added by purchase 20 acres. The original 320 acres was given to the father by his brother, Hiram Barney, collector of the Port of New York, who was a warm personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, and who resigned his position as collector of the port in favor of Chester A. Arthur, who afterward became President of the United States. The father of Henry Barney was a clergyman in the Methodist Episcopal church and belonged to the Black River conference. New York. Before coming to Wisconsin, he was superannuated and his sons made all the improvements on the farm in Juneau county where the father died in 1863 at the age of 67 years. He served as drummer boy in the war of 1812 and after his death, his widow drew a pension from the government. Before entering the ministry he studied medicine and practiced that profession more or less during his lifetime, and for many years was the manufacturer of Dr. G. W. Barney's Anti-Billious Cathartic Pills, and for a number of years was land warrant agent for the state of New York, for the benefit of United States soldiers. His children who grew to maturity were Hiram W., a prominent lawyer of Mauston, Wisconsin, who died December 25, 1906; Sarah, deceased; Charles, retired hardware merchant of Mauston: Mary Augusta, a practicing physician, and Henry.

Mr. Barney grew to manhood in Juneau county, receiving his education in the district schools and the Mauston high school. He began his business career as a clerk in a general store at Mauston, serving in that capacity for two years. He later engaged in farming on the old homestead for two years, and still later engaged in lumbering in Juneau and Vernon counties in which he continued for some six years, and then entered the agricultural implement business at Hillsboro, Wisconsin, which he followed for eight years. In 1893 he settled on a farm of 80 acres in the town of Bridge Creek, Eau Claire county, near Augusta, where he followed farming until April, 1902. In the last named year, he moved to the village of Fairchild and embarked in the livery business which he followed until 1913, when on account of ill health he turned the business over to his sons, by whom it is continued under the name of Barney Brothers.

Twice married, Mr. Barney took for his first wife. Miss Anna, daughter of Ruben and Elizabeth (Daniels) Sweet, of Hillsboro, Wisconsin, whose father was a soldier in the civil war. By this union nine children were born, six of whom grew to maturity: Ernest W.; Wert W.; Charles H.; Francis N.; Hiram R. and Hattie, deceased. He married for his second wife Mrs. Louisa (Jenson) Johnson, widow of James Johnson, who, by her former marriage is the mother of three children: Anna is now Mrs. Walter Olson, of Sparta; Jessie and Carl. Mr. and Mrs. Barney are the owners of valuable property in Fairchild consisting of residences and 40 acres, and they also own two farms of 40 and 80 acres each.

In politics Mr. Barney is a Democrat and has served two terms as assessor of Fairchild village.