Jefferson County, NY Pioneers

JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK

JOHN LANSING BARBER PIONEER FAMILY

1. JOHN LANSING BARBER, a retired farmer, residing in Carthage, is descended from an old Massachusetts family. His grandfather, SAMUEL BARBER, came from Massachusetts to New York in an early day, and died while still a young man.

2. CHAUNCEY BARBER, son of SAMUEL BARBER, was born Herkimer county, and never knew his mother. By the early death of his father he was left to the care of a stepmother, who reared him kindly. Soon after his marriage CHAUNCEY BARBER went to Boonville, where he was employed as a carpenter and builder. He also acquired the trade of mason, and was enabled to do most of the work of building houses. For a time he was engaged in lumbering at Caulkinsville, and also did some farming, Like most Yankees he could take hold of many kinds of work successfully, and he was always industrious in whatever he undertook.

In the spring of 1856 he came to Carthage, and was engaged several years in building houses here. On account of an injury he was compelled to abandon the use of tools, and spent two or three years in a vineyard in New Jersey, when he returned to Carthage, locating on the west side of the river, where he was engaged for a time in gardening. Subsequently he purchased a farm on Pleasant street, in the town of LeRay, and continued to till it until his death, in the fall of 1895, at the age of eighty-three years. He was a Spiritualist, and always adhered to the Democratic party in politics. Three of his four sons are now living. EDWIN, the first, died at the age of twenty-four years. HENRY H. is resident of West Carthage, JOHN L. is the third. June resides on the paternal farm in LeRay. The mother died on Pleasant street a number of years before her husband.2. His son, Ebenezer, resided in Southboro. He married HANNAH LYSCOM, born April 29, 1722, being the second child of ISRAEL LYSCOM (or LISCOMB).

CHAUNCEY BARBER married

MELINDA MACK, daughter of Colonel SAMUEL MACK, who built the first dam in Black river. Colonel MACK died here more that sixty years ago. Children of CHAUNCEY and MELINDA (MACK) BARBER

3          i      EDWIN BARBOUR, the first, died 20 at the age of twenty-four years.

4          ii       HENRY H. BARBER is resident of West Carthage.

5          iii      JOHN L. BARBER is the third. JOHN resides on the paternal farm in LeRay.

5. JOHN LANSING BARBER, son of CHAUNCEY and MELINDA (MACK) BARBER was born December 1, 1840, in Brownville. He was fifteen years of age when his parents came to live in Carthage, and he received his education in the district schools at Boonville and here. He was early accustomed to aid his father in building operations, and became familiar with the use of carpenter's tools. He began to learn the trade of blacksmith, but his preceptor enlisted and went to the war, and he then turned his attention to farming. He purchased a farm in the town of Champion, which he operatedwith such industry and success that he was enabled to buy another in the same town. After a time he sold one of these and bought a farm in Denmark, Lewis County, which he tilled ten years.

After a life of severe toil, in which his health became somewhat broken, he finally disposed of his rural property and moved to the village of Carthage in 1889. Here he built several tenant houses, and gives his time to the care of his property, which is located in the vicinity of James and West streets, his own residence being on the latter near Mechanic street. Mr. BARBER is a stockholder in the Carthage National Bank and the local Building and Loan Association. His mother was reared a Methodist in religious faith, and he adheres to her teachings. Always a Democrat in politics, he has been nominated frequently for official position, but has uniformly declined to be a candidate.

Mr. BARBER married July 4, 1865

LUCY ANN PHIILIPS, a native of Champion, born September 7, 1843, a daughter of Josiah and Lorean (CROOK) PHILLIPS. Her brother Orrin, who resides in Champion, was born May 29, 1842. Her parents were of early families in that town. Mrs. BARBER'S first known ancestor was Ebenezer PHILLIPS, whose will, dated November 20, 1745, proved August 21, 1746, mentions his wife Mary. By this it is known that his death occurred at Southboro, Worcester county, Massachusetts, between those dates.

2. His son, EBENEZER PHILLIPS resided in Southboro. He married Hannah LYSCOM, born April 29, 1722, being the second child of ISRAEL LYSCOM (or LISCOMB).

3. EBENEZER PHILLIPS, son of Ebenezer PHILLIPS (2), was born February 23, 1752, in Southboro, and was a very powerful man, being six feet and two inches in height and well proportioned. He served in the Revolutionary army and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. He married RACHEL GALE, and had twelve children. 4. SILAS PHILLIPS, son of EBENEZER (3), was born October 27, 1775, in Grafton, Massachusetts, and settled in Rutland, Jefferson county, New York, in the spring of 1805. He was an influential citizen of the town, in whose reclamation from the wilderness and organization he bore an active part, served eighteen years as collector, and was a leading member of the Methodist church. He died August 29, 1850. His wife, LUCRETIA SCOTT, of Ward, Massachusetts, died May 1, 1852, aged seventy-six years. They had eleven children, of whom JOSIAH was the seventh.

5. JOSIAH PHILLIPS was born20 September 11, 1810, in Rutland, and lived most of his life in Champion, dying in Denmark in 1885. He was married February 20, 1839 to LOREAN CROOK, who was born January 11, 1821, and died November 6, 1898, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. BARBER, in Carthage. Mr. and Mrs. PHILLIPS were members of the Methodist church,20 in which he was trustee, class leader and steward. In early life he was a Democrat, but became a Republican before the Civil War.

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