The biographical encyclopœdia of Ohio of the nineteenth century:

BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOP_EDIA.
having supervision of the public schools of that place. He
commenced the study of law in I858, with Judge William
Kennon, of St. Clairsville, and was admitteo to the bar ill
i 36o, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession.
In I862 he was elected a member of the lower House in
the General Assembly, and served for one year. On his
return home lie resumed his legal duties, and so continueda
until I87I, when he was elected Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas for the term of five years. He was a candidate for Congress in I870, in opposition to Hon. John A.
Bingham, but failed of an election. His present position as
Judge is due to his acquirements, and these were only obtained through his indomitable energy, perseverance and
industry.
his genieral crusade against slavery wias the building of a
church edifice where Plymouth Congregational Church now
stands. He purchased the lot, giving his check for four
thousand dollars, conltriluted to the building funld, and personally superintended the erection of the building. Whlen
the congregation was organized it took a bold, positive stand
against slavery, and bore a iiol)le part ill moulding pub~lic
opinion in favor of ema ncipat ion. Mr. Ba rker was also one
of the founders of an anti-slavery newspaper then known as
he Iln,l o the eoat, now the Cleveland NZaiY, Leade r. MIr.
Barker has always enijoyed the respect and confidence of his
friends and the public. He has been active in benevolent
works. Churches and charities have found him willing and
anxious to contribute his time and money in their aid. He
has retired from business, and now in the autumn of his
years enjoys the fruits of a well-spent life. In I853 lie
married Elizabeth, daughter of James Vanderwerker, of
Saratoga county, New York, who has borne him three children now living-one son, much esteemed in the community,
and two daughters.
ARKER, BENAJAII, was born in Portsmouth,
Rhode Island, july ioth, I805. His father, Cap -85 ~ LItain Peter Barker, did good service in the revolu, tionary army, and in i8i I emigrated from Ports c5 mouth to settle in New York State, where he died
in i85o at the advanced age of eighty-eight years.
Btnajah is descended from one of three brothers who came
to this country with the Pilgrim Fathers, one settling in
Vermont, one in Connecticut, and the other in Rhode Island,
the latter being his ancestor. His mother was Ruth Cook,
daughter of Captain Matthew Cook. When -but twenty
years of age young Barker secured a large contract on the
Delaware canal, running from Easton, Pennsylvania, to
Bristol, Pennsylvania. Although he had but $500 capital,
saved from his daily earnings, by shrewd finianciering he
fulfilled his contract and cleared $7000. On his return
home his phenomenal success wNas the subject of general
discussion, and he became a hero among the lads of his
neighborhood. Again in I857 he was aw.arded another
large contract, this time on the Wal)ash canal. In I848 he
emigrated to Cleveland, where he built the present gas
works, of which he held the greater part of the stock for
some time. He subsequently organized a gas company, of
which he was President for five years. In I852-53 he was
engaged in building the gas works at For-t Wayne. In
1854-55 he constructed the gas works at Adrian, Michigan.
In I838 Mr. Barker accompa-lnied a colony from Boston to
Iowa, where he purchased twelve thousand acres of land at
one dollar per acre, selling his land in less than a montht
for two dollars and a half the acre. On part of this ground
Thor-nsville is now located(. Mr. Barker was for many
years a Director of the Forest City Bank. He has never
l)een a politician in the general acceptation of the term, but
he has always faithfully discharged his duties as a citizen of
a republic. He took a Iecided stand against slavery. Many
a poor slave owed his freedom to Mr. Barker, whose kindt
heart and open purse were never appealed to in vain. IHe
has sent many fugitives on their way rejoicing to Canada or
other safe asylum where fieedom awaited them. Part of
ILLMORE, GENERA, QUINCY ADAMS, was
l born at Black River, Lorain county, Ohio, Feb U!1ID,u ary 28th, i825. His parents were of mingled
4/l t Scotch-Irish and German extraction. His father,
eQ_'.5~ Quartus Gillmore, was a native of Massachusetts,
and the son of a farmer there. This farm was
exchanged for a tract of one thousand acres c,ll the Western
Reserve, and at the age of twrenty-one QLiartus went thither.
In I824 be was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Smnith, mai(leii
name Reid. Both have lived to enjoy the fame of their
clistinguiished son. Quartus Gillmore was a strong Whig,
and his son was born on the day the news of John Quincy
Adams' election to the Presidency was received. These
two happy events coming together, it was thus that he came
to be a namesake of the illustrious statesman. The boy
grew up amid pioneer surroundings, working on the farm
in the summer, and receiving the customary schooling in the
winter. He was a very apt scholar, and made rapid
progress. After entering his teens he fwas sent for a winter
to Norwalk Academy, tw~enty-five miles from his home.
At the age of seventeen he became a school-teacher, and for
three years be followed this occupation, spending two vacations at a high school in Elyria. But he never liked schoolteaching, and longed to change it for some other occupation.
In the spring of 1845 the pupils of the Elyria High School
gave an " exhibition," at which the young pedagogue read
an original poem entitled " Erie," which was afterwards
published in the county newspaper, and which possessed
such merit as to be copied:into many other joulrnals. About
this time he commenced the stiic'lv of medlicinle in the office
of Dr. Samuel Strong; at Elyria. Meanwhile the representative in Congress from the district, Hon. E. S. ttamlin,
was casting about for a suitable youth to fill an appointment
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