HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
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Great Western Railway bridge at St. Charles, Ill. Mr. Barker and Mr. Derby were associated together in extensive quarrying operations until the death of Mr. Derby in 1864. The firm of Mallory, Derby and Barker built all the stone work for the bridges on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway between Aurora and Chicago. Mr. Barker later became widely known as a leading railroad builder of the West. He retired from business in 1882. Meanwhile, he had become largely interested in land in Kane County, and these interests occupied a very considerable share of his attention. Before the Civil War he was Sheriff of Kane County, and from time to time has filled various local offices. In 1845 he married Miss Mary Gowdy, who was born and reared in New York. She died in 1894. Mr. Barker died June 24, 1903, aged nearly ninety-two years.
JABBZ BARKER, retired farmer, Elburn, Ill.; born in Bristol County, Mass., March 27, 1818; educated in the public schools of the Bay State, and came to Kane County, Ill., in 1843; afterwards spent some time in California and his native State, but located permanently in Kane County about 1850, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1898, when he retired. Mr. Barker was married May 19, 1840, to Sarah White, who died Nov. 25, 1902.
WILLIAM P. BARKER, Batavia, Ill., born in the city of his residence, July 7, 1850, a son of Lawrence P. and Mary (Gowdy) Barker, both of whom were natives of New York. He was educated in the East Batavia public school, and when sixteen years of age, began with his father in the stone quarrying and contracting business, becoming a partner in 1870. Since his father's retirement Mr. Barker has continued in business devoting his attention to the lumber and coal trade, and the care of his extensive real-estate investments and farm property, also retaining his interest in the quarrying business. He has served as a member of the Batavia r3card of Aldermen and Board of Education. I, 1875 he married Miss Helen Brown, daughter of Mrs. Sarah M. Brown, of Batavia.
HARRY D. BARNES, manufacturer, Elgin, Ill., was born in Bloomingdale, DuPage County, Ill., Nov. 29, 1863, a son of George W. and Susan (Dudley) Barnes, received his education in the home schools and in Elgin Academy,
remaining on his father's farm until he was twenty years old. In 1881 he moved to Elgin, which has since been his home. During the summer of 1882 he worked for the Elgin Lumber Company, and the following year was in the employ of the grocery firm of A. M. Stewart. In 1884 he entered the shop of the Elgin Packing Company, and here his promotion was rapid. In May, 1890, upon the resignation of Mr. P. L. McClure, he was made Assistant Manager, and when Mr. E. K. W. Cornell resigned, in January, 1899, he was elected Manager. In 1902 he was elected Secretary of the corporation and is now (1904) holding both positions. The Elgin Packing Company is regarded as one of the best paying concerns in Elgin, and has about doubled its output in the last five years. Mr. Barnes owns a farm west of Elgin of 145 acres, and now has a controlling interest in the Elgin Packing Company. He was married June 28, 1898, to Miss Ida Merrifield, daughter of Oscar C. Merrifield, of Ottawa, Ill. He served on the Elgin School Board from 1894 to 1900.
WILLIAM B. BARNES, retired machinist, Aurora, Ill.; born in Vermont, Nov. 20, 1832; grew to manhood in his native State, and came
