HOMER
G. BARBER
HOMER G. BARBER -- Who knows aught concerning
the village of Vermontville also knows the status of Homer G. Barber as a
citizen, business man and public official, for his career has been most
intimately lined with the upbuilding of the town, in both a material and civic
way, and he is one of its most honored and influential citizens. One of the
sterling pioneers of the county, a man of unblemished reputation, and one whose
life has counted for good in all its relations, he is eminently entitled to
representation in the work. On other pages of the volume will be found a sketch
of the life and genealogy of his honored father, Edward H. Barber, one of the
original colonists of Vermontville township, Homer G. Barber was born in Benson,
Rutland county, Vermont, November 25, 1830, and he was about seven years of age
at the time of his parents' removal from the old Green Mountain state to the
wilds of Eaton county. Here he was reared to maturity on the pioneer farm, in
whose reclamation and development he rendered his quota of assistance. He
completed his early educational training in the old
Vermontville
Academy
, his instructor having been Rev. William U. Benedict, who was pastor of the
congregational church and head of the academy. Mr. Barber remained on the
homestead farm until he had attained the age of seventeen years, when he went to
Kalamazoo
, where he became head clerk in the post office of the village, Alexis Ransom
being postmaster. Two years later he numbered himself among the historic
California Argonauts of 1849, being nineteen years of age at the time. He went
to the city of
New York
, where he embarked on the packet ship "
Sheridan
," and made the voyage around Cape Horn to
California
, where he engaged in mining for two years, gaining a sufficient quantity of
gold to enable him to return home and initiate what has proven a most successful
business career. For more than half a century he has been identified with the
business and industrial interests of Eaton county. He engaged in the general
merchandise business in Vermontville soon after his return from
California
, and has continued his association with local commercial affairs, during all
the intervening years. In 1872 he opened in the village a private bank, and the
same is still conducted by him, controlling an excellent business and being one
of the substantial financial institutions of the county. William C. Alsover,
husband of his adopted daughter, is cashier of the bank. He is associated with
his son, Edward D., in the ownership of a well equipped hardware establishment
in Vermontville. He is vice president of the Merchants' National Bank, and the
Eaton County Savings Bank, of
Charlotte
, and has other large and varied capitalistic interests. Another has written
concerning him in the following words: "Though engaged in active business
all his life, Homer G. Barber has not neglected the larger fields of thought and
literature, and has one of the best private libraries in his section of the
country. In 1870 he was elected state senator from the twentieth district,
composed of Eaton and Barry counties. An independent thinker, belonging to no
church and tied to no party, he has been and still is the foremost person of the
second generation in promoting the welfare of and giving tone and character to
the religious life, social conditions and business interests of the village and
township. He has served officially in many capacities,-- town clerk, justice of
the peace, member of the township board, school inspector, postmaster, president
and trustee of the village, school director and trustee of the congregational
society,-- making his, all, all in all, probably a more active life than that of
any other one citizen of the town or county," His excellent judgment, true
public spirit and great liberality have placed him in the front rank of the
loyal and honored citizens of Eaton county. Mr. Barber is a charter member of
the local lodge of the Free & Accepted Masons, is also affiliated with the
chapter of the fraternity in Vermontville and the commandery of Knights Templar
in the city of
Charlotte
. In 1853 Mr. Barber was united in marriage to Miss Lucy C. Dwight, who was born
in the state of
New York
, being a daughter of Perry D. and Lucy H. Dwight, and her death occurred May 1,
1893. They became the parents of three children, of whom only one is living,
Edward D., who is associated with his father in the hardware business, as
already noted. Mr. Barber married Gertrude E. Wood, who was born in
Whitehall
,
New York
. They have no children. Mr. Barber's adopted daughter, Louise, became the wife
of William C. Alsover, and is now deceased.
