July 1894 – George A. Barclay Builds a Hotel…

Life in Pine River in the Summer of 1894 was filled with many activities  such as the coming of the railroad, George Barclay’s travels to Brainerd and beyond, the GAR celebrations, and the 4th of July celebration in Pine River.

While all this was going on, George A. Barclay had time to plan and recruit a contractor to build his new hotel, store  and saloon.

“George Barclay has let the contract for the building of a new saloon to White & White of Brainerd. It promises to be a fine structure, having a glass front and being two stories high. Guess George intends starting the boom himself.  

Source: The Brainerd Tribune Local Pine River news, July 7, 1894, Minnesota Historical Society Newspaper Collection.

Another source gives this detail about the contract for the hotel:

On June 29, 1894, George Barclay contracts with I.U. White of Brainerd to build a hotel, store and saloon all in the same building. The Hotel Barclay or Barclay House was also known as the “White Elephant.” It burned in December, 1915, in a fire that threatened all of Pine River.

Source:  Cass County Heritage 1897-1997, pg. 55, Cass County Historical Society, Walker, MN

George Barclay is shipping up lumber to build his new saloon and store.  

George Barclay went to Brainerd last Monday night.  

Source: Brainerd Tribune, Local Pine River news July 14, 1894.  (Monday in 1894 is the 9th of July)

George Barclay returned from Brainerd last Monday night accompanied by Miss Barclay. 

George Barclay intends to commence building his new building next Monday.

Source: The Brainerd Tribune, Local Pine River news,  July 21, 1894.  (Monday in 1894 would be the 23rd).

If I have calculated this correctly, George started building his new hotel about July 23, 1894.  On a visit in 2007 to Pine River, I went to the town hall and inquired if they might have old Barclay Hotel building plans but was told “no.”  The hotel did burn down in 1915 and I will post about that in the future.  I am sure a lot documentation was destroyed when the hotel burned.  I also tried to find I.U. White of White & White who was the contractor but so far I have not been successful.

The Barclay Hotel

NOTE:  I obtained permission of the town of Pine River to post this photo of the Barclay Hotel as found in their book about the history of Pine River:  ”Logsleds to Snowmobiles 1973.”

“The years 1893 and 1894 saw the building of the railroad through here, at that time called the “Brainerd Northern.” The same year brought the first frame building of any importance, the Barclay Hotel. This was a large building, painted white and by some with less vision than Mr. Barclay, it was known as the “White Elephant.” However, the years following proved that his judgment was good as this stopping place enjoyed a wonderful patronage for many years.

Mr. Barclay also built a large store building on the corner where the Fraser building or Locker Plant now stands, where they conducted a general store until he was shot and killed while sitting in his office smoking a cigar in October 1898.”

Source:  Early History of Pine River, pg. 2-3, 1973, Bicentennial Issue, Pine River Journal, Pine River, Cass Co., MN. 

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Pine River 1894: A 4th of July Celebration!

4th of July

4th of July Celebrations

“The glorious fourth will be celebrated as it never was before at Pine River. There are to be horse races, pitching the weight and climbing the greasy pole and a match game of baseball between Pine River nine and the Big Bend nine in the afternoon. The day’s pleasure will wind up with a grand dance in the bowery kindly lent by G. A. Barclay. The Pine River Cornet band, under the leadership of Prof. Sam McConnell will be in attendance all day. The chief orator of the day will be George Barclay.

The glorious Fourth passed off at Pine River in fine shape.  It commenced at sunrise with a salute of one hundred guns.  At ten o’clock a grand street parade took place, headed by the city band under the leadership of Prof. Sam McConnell.  All the various trades of our city were well represented and the mayor and city council rode in carriages.  After parading the principal streets the procession made it s way to the city park, where all kinds of games were indulged in and a patriotic speech was delivered by the mayor.  In the evening the  day’s fun wound up by a grand bowery dance in the park.”

Source:  The Brainerd Tribune, Local News, Pine River, July 7 and 14th, 1894, from the newspaper collection at the Minnesota Historical Society.

It is too bad that George’s speech was not published in the newspaper!  It does sound like it was a wonderful celebration.

Image courtesy of Vintage Holiday Crafts - http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/

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Extra Extra! June 30, 1894 – The Barclays Travel Beyond Pine River & RR Troubles!

George apparently took Amarilla and Grace with him on his trip to the East.  The Brainerd Tribune of June 30, 1894 gives these accounts in the Pine River section of the Local News.   There was a lot going on for the Barclays at this time.

The banner of the newspaper in Brainerd

1. George Barclay returned from the east last Sunday, accompanied by Mrs. and Miss Barclay, who will spend the summer vacation here and watch our city grow.

2. George Barclay while away visited Minneapolis, Chicago and New York City and says things are very dull.

3. George Barclay will commence building in a few days on the new town site.

4. Last week our neighbor correspondent said that George Barclay was as tickled as a boy with a new pair of shoes,  as the road passed through his place, etc. But George Barclay was in Chicago at the time and knew nothing of the line and when he came home last Sunday the shoes did not fit at all.  When a man has to tear down four buildings and dig a new well for thirty feet, and have his gardens torn up, I don’t think there is anything to be tickled about. Do you?

Source:   The Brainerd Tribune film 1/6-12/29/1894, article dated June 30, 1894 under Local news “Pine River.”   Below is the actual article.

Pine River News June 30, 1894

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News: June 29, 1894 – Another Robbery at the Barclay Ranch!

At the end of the month of June the Brainerd Dispatch Newspaper reported on June 29, 1894 the following series of  robberies that were taking place in the area.  Note the article on this front page about the Railroad strike?

Front page – see next photo for the entire story

Under Local News Notes the full article appears in the second column about a series of robberies in the north area:

HUNGRY MEN WILL EAT

Robbery at Barclay Ranch – 1894

“From the country north of Brainerd comes reports of much suffering and destatuion among hundreds of men who have been enduced to come to this region by the beginning of operations on the Brainerd & Northern Minnesota railroad extension, and who have not found employment as expected.  During the past few days many depredations have been committed by men who claim they cannot starve. 

At Geo. Barclay’s place on Saturday night his warehouse was broken into and some $65 worth of eatables, such as flour, hams, potatoes, and a quantity of tobacco were stolen.  The same day a tote team loaded with provisions and belonging to Beckus & Co. was stopped on the road above Gull Lake and all the article that could be made into food was transferred from the owner’s wagon to a wagon belonging to the men and they told the driver that it was a matter of life or death with them as they had nothing to eat for several days but boiled fish without even salt to flavor it with.  There were 25 men in this gang and they stated that an account would be kept of the amount taken and that if they ever got money enough they would pay for it.  On Monday night about 10 o’clock Geo. Jenkins was stopped near Long Lake on the Leech Lake road by three men who sprung out of the brush and siezed his horses by the heads while the third man looked his wagon over, and seeing nothing in it that they could eat he told his companions to let Mr. Jenkins proceed as he had nothing they wanted.  Articles have also been taken from teams belonging to Nelson, Tenny & Co., H.B. Frey and A. Leonard.

It is to be regretted that so many men are being sent to this section for work on the new road when there are twice as many men on the ground as can find employment.  We are informed that advertisements are posted in St. Paul and Minneapolis stating that men are wanted here for this work, and it is undoubtedly for the sole purpose of getting the unemployed out of those two cities and dumping them into a country where there is nothing to do with no chance of getting enough to eat even.  The men are willing to work and say they will not starve as long as there are provisions in the country that they can get, even if they have to resort to force to obtain them.”

“Hungry Men will Eat,” Brainerd Dispatch, Brainerd, Minnesota, Friday June 29, 1894 under Local News, 2nd column.

In 1893 there was a major economic panic.  If you just Google “Panic of 1893″ you will get many hits on the subject.   Here is a link to an article about this panic: http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/whitten.panic.1893

So there were many contributing events going on that were causing a lot of problems for many people so this article is not too surprising.  Apparently George Angus Barclay was doing well in spite of the economic troubles for he was about to build the Barclay Hotel.

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Over the Fence: June 9, 16, 24, 1894: The Railroad and Other Items of Interest in Pine River!

More news about the railroad coming to Pine River appears in the Brainerd Tribune for June 9, 1894:

1. George Barclay returned from Brainerd last Friday.

2. The engineers are pretty near through with surveying the line for the new railroad, and work will soon begin. Sooner the better.

3. Last Monday a delegation of railroad magnates called on Mayor Ed Allen to ascertain if the city authorities of Pine River would grant the new railroad the right of way through our main street, where they now have their stakes drove, and after a short council it was granted. Watch our smoke.

4. F. H. Kimball the chief engineer, came up from Brainerd last night.

NOTE:  There is a notation that an F.H. Kimball was the architect for the Reading Railroad’s headhouse terminal in 1891 at Wikipedia was this the same man?

June 16, 1894 the Brainerd Tribune reports:

1. Paddy McDonald, the Duluth railroad contractor, was in Pine River last week looking over the route of the new road.

Note:  According to the Duluth Township Newsletter pg 5, July 2006:

“Paddy McDonald ran the crew that cleared the trees and brush from along the right of way. He was a well-known pugilist (Boxer) who had fought some very noted heavyweight contenders. He was also the man who was entrusted by the railroad to carry the payroll by dogsled from Duluth to Two Harbors and then Soudan before the track was completed to there. Alone and at night, he carried in excess of $16,000 in gold and silver coins contained in a heavy wooden box with lid nailed down. A formidable foe with either deadly weapons or fists, he was a man to be reckoned with. Now he ran the crews engaged in clearing the line.”

2. Mr. Grant, the Faribault railroad contractor, was here last Wednesday looking over the line of the proposed new road.

3. Last Week George Barclay located some farmers from Todd County who are hunting homesteads in Cass county. Emigration to Pine River will soon commence.

4. We will soon have the cars passing our doors now. The last line that was run passes the front of the house so near that its necessary to tear the old house down and build a new one. We’ll build a solid brick block to start the town booming. Hurrah for Pine River!

5. George Barclay returned from a cruising trip last Sunday and says the country is all on fire over toward Woman Lake. He had a narrow escape from being killed by a falling tree whilst coming home.  

Note:  I tried to find out more about this fire but online lead me to the big one that occurred in later in September of 1894.

June 24, 1894 the Brainerd Tribune has these items of interest:

1. George Barclay left last Tuesday for the twin cities and Chicago. He will be gone about two weeks.

2. Mr. Foley, who has the contract for building the new railroad , was here last Saturday.

3. When the new railroad is completed as far as Pine River,  Mayor Ed Allen will issue invitations to all city authorities between here and St. Paul.

Note:  The Minnesota Historical Society  has an excellent newspaper collection and I have visited this archive on several occasions 2000, 2001, 2007.  The Brainerd Tribune was only one newspaper that I studied.  I had prepared a spreadsheet with date events for each person/surname I was targeting.  I had studied the society’s holdings in advance so that I knew which newspapers were at what times and dates.  I was then able to pull the microfilm reels to access the newspapers quickly.  Newspaper research is hard work and takes time, so if you can prepare yourself before going to an archive it helps a great deal to save time.   It doesn’t hurt to practice at home before going on your trip.  Where do they place obituaries and funeral notices, where are important stories placed, what are the sections of the newspaper etc.  Newspapers can add little pieces of information that can make the lives of your ancestors more interesting.  Each newspaper is a little different so you need to take your time and get us to the format when you first begin.  Also the time frame of the newspaper can mean a different focus.  Most newspapers in the earlier part of the 1800′s did not really have obituaries unless you were wealthy and were more business oriented. The gossip columns or the news of different local areas did not show up till about the 1880′s.

So what do you think was George Barclay’s reason to go to the Twin Cities and Chicago for two weeks?  I would love to know why he went on this trip.  I do know that Grace, his daughter was at school in the Twin Cities at the time.  Why Chicago?

The Minnesota Historical Society & Me 2007

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Over the Fence News: June 2, 1894 – Pine River Events: G.A.R., coming of the RR & Robbery at Jenkins

The year of 1894 was a very busy year for the Barclays of Pine River, Minnesota.  The following news was reported in the Brainerd Tribune June 2, 1894:

G.A.R. Badge

1) “Mr. & Mrs. Barclay came up from Brainerd last Sunday, returning Tuesday for Decoration Day.

Note:  Decoration Day is now known as Memorial Day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Army_of_the_Republic

2) George Barclay went to Brainerd to-day to attend the G.A.R. ceremonies on Decoration day, he being master of transportation.

Note:  George was a member of the G.A.R. Pap Thomas Post No. 30 in Brainerd.  Unfortunately their records were lost in a fire in 1910.  There are some records at the Minnesota Historical Society but they are from 1914 to 1920 and that is too late for my needs.

3) The mayor and council will visit Brainerd as soon as the palace sleeping cars are running on our new railroad.

This link will take you to an interesting article with pictures and diagrams of what a palace car was like.

ttp://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/builders/pullman1.htm

4) H.B. Frey came up from Minneapolis last Tuesday, looking after the engineers of the new railroad.

Mr. Frey seemed to be in the business of buying land for he appears in the land records for the St. Cloud office in Minnesota on a great many occasions.

5) Last Monday night about eleven o’clock some persons attempted to go through George Jenkins’ warehouse and got left. The thieves, whoever they were, were not on to their job. They carried a light and made too much noise. They were surprised by one of the hired men who happened to hear them after he was in bed. He got up and loaded his Winchester and ordered them to halt, but not complying with his request he fired and the next morning he found flour, beans and pork, also a piece of a shirt all covered with blood. It’s a pity he did not find the man as George Barclay has suffered likewise. The parties are known and had better be more careful. We don’t want any of the Coxey army up here.”  

I didn’t know anything about what or who the Coxey army was so I found this Wikipedia article that explained a lot.  Just do a Google search and you will get many hits on this subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coxey’s_Army  It had something to do with the 1893 Panic which sort of reminds me of the financial crash a few years back, something about banks failing:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_of_1893

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Murder in Pine River: Pat Ryan, Summer 1891

According to several newspaper accounts, George Angus Barclay was accused of selling liquor in violation of state law. Here is one article that makes this accusation.

The article appeared in the Brainerd Dispatch on July 17, 1891 (Vol. 10, #35) on the front page about a murder near George’s Ranch.  The article spans two columns and goes the length of the front page.  Here is a small portion of it.

Murder near Barclay Ranch 1891

Stabbed in the Stomach, Pat Ryan is Murdered near

George Barclay’s Ranch with a Butcher Knife. 

Squaw-Man, White Men and Red Men All take a Hand in The Fiendish Bloody Tragedy.

 The unlawful selling of Liquor at the Bottom of the Murderous Mess.

“Patrick Ryan was murdered at Barclay’s lumber ranch on Saturday morning last by being stabbed in the stomach three times with a butcher knife, and his body lay bleeding in the hot rays of the sun until the authorities arrived from Brainerd on Sunday. 

On Saturday afternoon a Frenchman names Philip Provo, came to this city and notified Coroner Bain that the murder had been committed, who immediately procured assistance in the person of J. McNaughton, and started for the scene, which is 89 miles from Brainerd, in the vicinity of White Fish Lake and Pine River.  They arrived there the next morning and found a sickening sight.  Ryan’s body lay some 300 yards from Barclay’s ranch at the Indian camps in a pool of clotted blood.  The butcher knife which did the bloody work lay beside the man’s inanimate form which was cut and slashed in many pieces.  In his stomach were three cuts, any one of which would have caused death.  The back of both hands were cut and also his arms, and on the back of his head was a bruise as if made with a gun, and the supposition of many is that he was knocked down and then finished with the knife.  Coroner Bain called a jury together and during that day and the next they labored studiously to get at the facts in the case, swearing witnesses, taking testimony, and going over the ground.  The result of their deliberations was that Patrick Ryan met his death at the hands of Fred Ellis, a squaw-man, Wabash-can-we-gut, or White Cloud, a Leech Lake Indian, Waugh-bugh-chek, a White Oak Point Indian, and Cang-gee-geeluc, chief of the Cass Lake tribe. 

Just as the jury had reached this decision Sheriff Spalding arrived, he not having been notified until Sunday of the occurrence, and then only by rumor.  The parties charged with the murder were all there and he put them under arrest and started for Brainerd that night, going as far as Jenkins.’  Here the party put up for the night, at being late and very dark.  In the middle of the night Cang-gee-geeluc complained of being very ill, and his hand-cuffs were loosened, and as he seemed to get worse Coroner Bain gave him an emetic, the red man almost throwing up his moccasins–in the absence of boots.  In a short time he began rubbing his stomach and moaning again, and said he was “heep sick,” so the dose was again given him with a similar result, and as he had emptied the pail the first time he did so the second time, but as he stepped to the door he gave a jump into the darkness and was gone.  The Indian had played a very sharp trick.  It was useless to follow him, and the party came on to Brainerd the next morning and landed the three prisoners in the county jail.  They were brought up before the court for hearing on Wednesday, but Ellis said there were some witnesses he desired at Barclay’s, in the persons of two squaws who he claims saw the whole transaction, the hearing was postponed until Monday at 10 o’clock.

As near as can be ascertained from the parties who went up from Brainerd and the testimony given at the coroner’s inquest, the murder was the outcome of a drunken brawl, which was participated in by white man and Indians, and to judge from the scarred countenances of the witnesses and prisoners it must have been a terrible encounter.  It seems that at Barclay’s whisky and beer is sold as freely as in any saloon in Brainerd, and has been for some length of time in violation of the state law, and on this particular day “the boys” were having a high old-time.  Fred Ellis, who lives with a squaw at that place, came to Barclay’s in the evening, after having had a fight with his dusky wife, in which the red men at the wigwams interfered and gave him the worst of it.  He obtained some court-plaster, washed his wounds, and in company with Patrick Ryan stepped up to the bar and drank for thirty minutes, according to his sworn statement.  Ryan volunteered to go with him and “fix the Indians plenty,” and they started.  Ryan never came back alive, and his body was found next morning with a butcher knife lying beside it which belonged to Ellis, who accounts for it by saying that in the fight in the fore part of the evening the Indians took his knife and revolver.  Ellis says an Indian chased him and he ran leaving Ryan at the camp, and he finally came back and went to bed with the other fellows, and that in the morning Billy Burnet came and told them Ryan had been killed.  The case is a complicated one  The Indian who escaped was covered with blood and said he got it by holding Ryan in his arms when he died, he, and the Indians had been attracted to the spot by groans, and upon arriving found the man in a dying condition.  It is more than probable that the Indian will be recaptured and every effort is being made in that direction.  No one is to blame for losing him ____ the cunning known to people of his tribe was brought into play.  Philip Provo was arrested on Tuesday and is being held, but from what we can learn the evidence is not very strong against him.  Ryan’s body was brought to the city on Monday night and buried in Evergreen Cemetery.  A gentlemen who lives at Faribault, telegraphed to have it sent to him, then after they had prepared it for shipment he telegraphed back that they had found their son in Denver, alive and well, and that the murdered man was no relation of theirs.  The following is the testimony of the important witnesses at the coroner’s inquest…”

The article continues with more testimony from Charles Ashland, Ellis’ Statement, Mamie Vagwin, Philip Provo, and White Cloud which doesn’t really tell much but actually gets more confusing. 

I tried to locate this Coroner file but did not find one in the Crow Wing records which go back to 1887.  It might be in another location?  Cass County records start in 1898 at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul on one of my trips.  I have not check state law at the time. 

Articles like this give an idea of what life might have been like for George, Amarilla and my grandmother Grace in Pine River.

 

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George Barclay Seeks His Civil War Pension!

George Angus Barclay was discharged with honor at the end of the Civil War on August 24, 1865. 

About October 19, 1891 he filed his first set of claim papers.  This would be a long process for George and Amarilla. 

Most Civil War pension files are housed with the National Archives in Washington D.C.  There is a sizeable fee attached to obtaining one.  I was lucky.  I sought George’s pension before the rate hike took place.  I filled out all the paperwork that NARA requires and mailed it.  My papers came back to me with a note that the pension was with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.  So I wrote to the Veteran Affairs in June of 2001 and they sent me the file which was a good 2 inches thick.  I offered to pay for the copies, but they didn’t seem interested. 

Lisa Peterson, my colleague at APG, has written an article and posted it on her blog.  It gives an explanation of how to obtain a Civil War pension from the VA, but be advised that you might have to be a direct descendant so check with them first: 

http://www.kinquest.com/usgenealogy/va.php 

George started the process in 1891.  It was to be a long and difficult one, spanning 49 years.  If seems that every time the laws were changed regarding the Civil War pensions, Amarilla would try again and fail.  I was told it was not always fair who received the pension and who did not?

This Civil War pension was a gold mine of information about my great grandparents.  Each time they submitted they had to resubmit their vital information.  So I have several copies of their marriage license and more. 

Summary of George’s Civil War Pension: 1891 to 1895:

1. Veteran Identification Data page:  This is a summary sheet of the file for the Veterans Affairs office and includes File No., location and more.           

2.  Application of Discharged Soldier for Additional Bounty, 18^th day of June 1867 for $100.00 – At Eagle Creek, Scott Co., Minnesota.  The 3rd page was a Power of Attorney.

Application of Discharged Soldier

 

Page two of the Application of Discharged Soldier

3.  Soldier’s Application – Declaration of Invalid Pension “ Act of June 27, 1890, Minnesota, County of Crow Wing, 19^th day of October 1891, George Barclay aged 48 years resident of Pine River, Crow Wing Co, Minnesota declares he is the identical person who enrolled on the 15^th of August 1862, Co. I, 9^th Reg., Minn. Infantry, as Wagoner.  Who was honorably discharged at Ft. Snelling, MN on the 24^th of August 1865.  He is unable to earn a support by reason of weakness of both legs near the knees.  He has not applied for pension and never appeared before.  Attest:  [S.G.] Alderman and [A.S.] Trommald.  Appeared before Jno. F. Fraker residing at Brainerd, Minn. and Louis Fache, Brainerd, Minnesota, known for 7 years and 10 years respectively signed by both. Sworn this 19^th day of October, 1891 and signed by [S.F. Alderman] Clerk Dist. Court, Crown Wing, Minn.

4. Circular Call NO. 7 – Department of the Interior Bureau of Pensions 23 November 1891. I believe it is a direction to George to report to a Green B. Raum, Commissioner.

5. Military Service Name of Soldier George A. Barclay Enlistment information 25 November 1891.

6. Memorandum, Pension Affidavit of George Barclay, 6 January 1892.  Showing that George was represented by a Henry Phillips, Attorney at Law and Solicitor. Two copies.

7. Surgeon’s Certificate February 2, 1892. The medical examination that is done by a board of physicians that report the claimant’s condition. John Knight, Pres., E.C. [Furan] Sec’y., W. N. Morel, Treas. Following disability incurred in service:  weakness of both legs near the knee.  

8.  Memorandum dated 6 February 1892.  George explains his military service.

“State of Minnesota, Crow Wing…In the matter of Geo. Barclay for Pension. Personally came before me a Clerk of the District Court. “I have not been in the military or naval service of the United States since August 24, 1865.  That I served as Wagoner in Company “I” 9^th Minn Vol. Inft. For the period of 3 years and 9 days and was never in any company.”  No signature

9.  Pension Affidavit of George Barclay, September 5, 1892 in George’s own words his health condition.

“Said soldier:  George Barclay dully sworn declares…as follows: That I incurred disease of the kidneys and injury to legs prior to Oct. 26, 1891; that said disabilities are not due to vicious habits and are to the best of my knowledge and belief permanent.  Dates when contracted are as nearly as possible as follows:  About September 1890, I was making hay on the river and had to enter the water and got my feet wet nearly every day my kidneys became much affected.  In May of 1865 at Marian, Alabama, I was riding a mule and he fell over and I went into a ditch and he fell across my legs.” (Transcribe as best as possible.)

10.  July 17, 1893 – Law Offices of Henry D. Phillips for George Barclay:  Written on this card it reads:  “Please speed action.”

11. Surgeon’s Certificate May 23, 1894, George is once again examined.  This time by John Knight, Pres., J. M. [Glinnor] Sec’y., L. M. [Bobcout] Treas. Disability incurred in the service:  Injury of legs & disease of the kidneys.

12.  Invalid Pension for George Barclay – Submitted for rejection 28 November, 1894. “No disability from causes alleged shown in a degree ratable under the Act of June 24, 1890.

13. December 11, 1894, From the Law Offices of Henry D. Phillips for George Barclay it reads:  “Please send status.” 

As you can see it was a cumbersome process and I found it very difficult to figure out exactly what each piece of paper meant.  When I received the pension it was not in any date order and of course they copied and put the cover page behind so it made it hard to figure out what piece of paper belonged to another. 

Based on what I have summarized here it looks like this is the first attempt of George A. Barclay to obtain his Civil War Pension. George will try again before his death in 1898.  I will share more about this pension file in a later post. 

It is interesting he was examined twice and they started with the weakness in the legs to later change it to injury of the legs and kidney disease.  George was 49 years old at this time.  Remember he was not a large man.  According to the Surgeon’s Certificate  he was 125 lbs. and 5 ft. 4 inches tall at this time.

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Canada, a Temporary Hiatus!

My great-grandfather George did apply for his Civil War pension.  I will be writing about that in future posts but at this time I am taking a break from this blog to focus on other lines of my family. 

Ontario and Quebec

Ronald S. McDonald married Grace Barclay, the daughter of George and Amarilla.  These two individuals are my grandparents. I have not posted about this marriage on this blog for I am trying to be chronological about George and Amarilla’s lives and events.   Ronald and Grace married in 1898 in Wisconsin, in secret!

I did share about my grandparents in another blog about my dad’s McDonald side where I will share about my trip:   

The Man Who Lived Airplanes: http://macdonellfamily.wordpress.com/

Ronald’s family came from Quebec and probably originally settled in Ontario.  I have long wanted to visit Ontario and Quebec and will be doing so soon. 

The other blog involved is the blog about my mother’s family and I will share other parts of the trips on that blog: 

 Boardmans and Browns of Winnipeg blog: http://boardmanbrown.wordpress.com/

Don’t worry, I will let you know what is happening as I travel along.  The Man Who Lived Airplanes will be the main focus of the trip to Ontario and Quebec.  The Boardman and Browns will cover the visit to Hastings County and British Columbia.  I am trying to keep the research specific to the theme of the blog. 

Come and join me!

There are several choices to participate and contact me, either on this blog or the others. 

1. You can click “follow” and it will send you a notice of any updates.  It usually shows up on the right side of a post like a hover.
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4. You can go to the “About and more” or “Compiler and More” or “About” page on the top of one of my blogs and scroll to the bottom before the “Shared List” stuff and find my Gmail – cut and paste that into your email browser.  There are other suggestions to find me on that page. 
5. Click “Like.”   To find this box click on comments and it is hidden there at the bottom.

There are actually “Barkley’s” and Kellers Canada.  I wonder?

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Catching up with Alexander Barclay: Dakota County, MN

It is now time to catch up with Alexander Barclay.  After the 1870 U.S. Federal Census, George left for Brainerd and then headed to Pine River leaving his brother Alexander Barclay behind in Dakota County, Minnesota. 

It would be interesting to know the reasons these two brothers went their separate ways.  I do know they kept in touch. 

In the post dated August 19, 2010 “After the Civil War- George and Alexander Try Farming?” I describe the 1870 U.S. Federal census and the 1875 Minnesota State Census.  In these census Alex is living alone or rather in a separate household, yet he is next to the Giles family.  George Barclay his brother is not listed as we have noted before.

Alex is in Eureka Twp., Dakota County, Minnesota in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census and the Giles family are included under his household listing?  I think R.J. should be R.I. for Rhode Island?

Line 4, 157, 267 Barclay, A.A., male, 40 years old, born in Connecticut, parents both born in Scotland, occupation farmer, single.

Line 5, 208, Giles, Francey, W, F, 50, widowed, keeping house, born Mass, parents born Mass.  Giles, Lorence, W, M, 14, son, single, farm laborer,  born Minn, father born [R.J.] , mother born Mass. 

Line 8, 158, 209, Giles, [Leonza] w, m, 31, married, farmer, born R.J., father born R.J., mother R.J. , Giles, mary, w, f, 26, wife, married keeping house, born [Canada], parents born Ireland.  Giles, Hattie, w, f, 7, daughter, born Minn. Giles, Edward, w, m, 5, son, born Minn. Giles, Sarah, w, f, 2, daughter, born Minn. Giles, George, w, m, 2/12, son born Minn.  Giles, Henry, w, m, 22, brother, farm laborer, born Minn.

Source:  1880 U.S. Federal Census, Eureka, Dakota Co., Minnesota, pg. 18, SD 2, ED 801, enumerated on June 22, 1880. Ancestry.com.

According to the Minnesota Cemetery Inscriptions Index at Ancestry.com a David D. Giles died on 25 July 1879 and is buried in Corinthian Cemetery.  He was 59 yrs. old, 6 mos and 5 das.  His spouse was Fannie Anderson Giles.  He is in the SW section of the cemetery.  I have been to this cemetery and it is in Farmington, Dakota County, MN.  

What the relationship is between Alexander and the Giles family is still a bit of a mystery and if Fannie’s maiden name is Anderson, I am now more puzzled? 

The interesting fact is that if you fast forward to 1896 Alexander was living in Lakeville Township not Eureka Township which indicates perhaps the boundaries changed? 

I have not had the opportunity to do deed research on Alexander.  The Family History Library has very little on land records for Dakota County, Minnesota and Minnesota as a whole.  So I guess that means another trip to Minnesota?

Alexander Barclay's Location

The location is section 34 in Lakeville to the south and east right on the border of the two townships of Lakeville and Eureka. 

Alexander Barclay's Land (Green Circle)

Source:  Plate book of Dakota County, Minnesota, by Bertine F. Pinkney, The Union Publishing Co., Philadelphia 1896, pg. 19 and 20.  I consulted a copy while researching in Minnesota in 2007.  The Minnesota Historical Society has a collection of these atlas’ on line at “Minnesota Maps Online.” http://www.mnhs.org/collections/digitalmaps/index.htm

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