Allen J. Barnard, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Allen J. Barnard
ALLEN J. BARNARD. The record of the career of Allen J. Barnard, of Jackson township, illustrates what may be accomplished by a man willing to apply his energies and utilize his judgment in the development of the county's resources, for he started his business life without capital, and through his own efforts has become one of the substantial agriculturists of his section, now owning a finely improved property of 140 acres in section 25. Mr. Barnard is a native of Jackson township, and was born August 27, 1847, a son of John and Margaret (McGunnigal) Barnard, and a grandson of Uriah Barnard.
Uriah Barnard was born on Nantucket Island, and as a lad was taken by his parents to North Carolina. From that state he removed to Ohio in 1811, and in 1817 came to Wayne county, Indiana, where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Elizabeth Macy, and they had a family of ten children, all of whom are now deceased. John Barnard was born in North Carolina, March 2, 1806, and was eleven years of age when he accompanied his parents to Wayne county, Indiana. Here he was educated, reared to manhood and engaged in agricultural pursuits, and in January, 1840, was married to Margaret McGunnigal, who died April 19, 1851, having been the mother of four children, of whom two are living: Allen J. and LeRoy, the latter a resident of Prairie City, Oregon.
Allen J. Barnard was educated in the district schools in the vicinity of his, father's farm, and when he was only fourteen years of age started out to make his own way in the world. He was engaged in working on various farms until his marriage, April 12, 1871, to Sarah E. Tatman, of LaPorte county, Indiana, who was born in Claremont county, Ohio, February 23, 1849, daughter of Sanford and Lucy R. (Leming) Tatman, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Barnard's father died in Ohio, and her mother brought the family of eight children to Indiana, six of them still surviving. Mrs. Barnard was twelve years of age when she came to Indiana, and she here completed her public school education. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Barnard went to Labette county, Kansas, and took up a homestead, on which they remained for three years, then returning to Porter county, Indiana, where they have since resided. Since returning to his native state Mr. Barnard has been successful in his operations, and by industry and perseverance has accumulated 140 acres of good land, all in a high state of cultivation. He is alert and discriminating in his methods and his farm gives evidence of care and wise judgment in its operation. In addition to carrying on general farming, he is engaged in the fruit business in a small way, devoting about twenty acres to the raising of apples, pears and peaches, for which he finds a ready market. In political matters he is a Republican, but he has never found time to devote much attention to public matters, and has never cared for official position for himself. He and his wife are highly esteemed in their community, where their many sterling traits of character are recognized and appreciated.
Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barnard: Cassius H., born September 28, 1872, in Kansas, received a common school education and married Ada R. Harrold, by whom he has had five children, Harold A., Ralph H., Alice G., Harland J. and Ruth E. Ira J., born in Porter county, July 15, 1878, married Dora B. Coulter, and has five children, Martha E., Myrtle E., Allen Joy, and twin daughters, Madeline Ada and Geraldine Helen.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 779-780
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook