Jesse A. Barber

FROM BARBER FAMILY MEMORIES "Jesse Barber the oldest son. I was never certain if Aunt Melissa Jackson was the oldest one or not but they anyway were the first two. Jesse Barber was a fine capable, enterprising man. He was in partner with his father in milling business and carding factory at Wyoming for several years. He also had a store there. He was active in business there for some lime after his marriage to Nancy Abbott but they finally moved to West Liberty, her home town. He sold out his business to his brother Dan Barber and my grandfather Ulery who was of course his brother in law. Jesse Barber then went into business on a big scale at West Liberty. He established a big store, had several lumber mills, carding mills where wool was processed. and made ready for spinning. He also had a mill where corn and wheat were ground. He was a busy man. After the Civil War came up he made bitter enemies for he was such a strong Union man and let it be known in no uncertain terms, thereby stirring up had feelings among a certain element up there who did not hesitate to "get even".

His mills and factory were burned three times, the last time they were never rebuilt but he still operated a fine big store there until his death which occurred at Wyoming at his Fathers home. He always went to Cincinnati to buy goods and would come to Wyoming horseback, get on the stage there, ride to Maysville, then on reins or boat to Cincinnati buy his goods come back probably spending the night with his parents. On this trip he got sick on homeward trip and by the time he reached Wyoming he had to be helped from the stage coach and to his fathers home. The doctor who lived right there in town was hastily summoned and pronounced it Cholera, as it was then raging in Cincinnati and in many other places also. It was perhaps the first thing he thought of for he was violently ill, cramping, vomiting, with a bad diarrhea. Uncle Dan and Grandma Ulrey took care of him. The Dr. standing by nearly all the time and giving, they thought, morphine to ease this terrible suffering. the second night of his illness he had calmed down and dropped off into a sleep. Aftter awhile he woke up, yawned and looked about, said he felt better and began to talk something about his trip. It was in October, a cool night, grandma reached out the upstairs window where they had some lemonade which was almost ice cold, took the pitcher in and poured out a glass and handed a to him. He drank some remaking about it tasting so good. just at that time Uncle Dan said it was time for the next dose of morphine and gave it to him but no sooner had he swallowed it than he went into a deep sleep which at once alarmed them. Hastily calling the Dr. who came in a matter of minutes and by his very attitude showed his alarm by working, rubbing, trying to wake him, dashing cold wetter on him, talking and shouting but nothing did did any good, in a very few moments Uncle Jess was dead. The Dr. contended it was real Asiatic Cholera but why did not Uncle Dan and grandma lake it? She always said it was that dose given to ease pain, after the pain had ceased no doubt morphine which killed Jess. A few men grandpa Ulrey, Uncle Dan and a few more took him die next night and buried him. No Funeral, no spectators. Dead and buried, I guess before his family at West Liberty even knew he was sick. Not a single case of Cholera came from his illness, so that more than ever convinced them it was not anything contagious. Grandma always said he had many times had a violent diarrhea and Dr. Donau's morphine killed him. His children were Margaret. Thomas, John, Sallie Ann. Fannie, and Clay"

Owned a country store that was burned out 3 times because he was with the Union in an area of Rebels. He was documented as being pro Union.

U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 Record for Jesse Barber