George’s Last Patent – #16446 April 5, 1888!

On April 5, 1888, George Angus Barclay purchases land in Barclay Township, Cass County and this time he buys 160 acres!

Patent from BML: Cass County 4/5/1888 St. Cloud #16446. 

This patent is in Cass County in the eastern part of Barclay Township it is east of Norway Lake.  The section on the east of Norway Lake is Section 29 and then over farther to the east is Section 28.  t138r29w5fi01  This old map is part of the website Minnesota Geo Historic Plat Maps http://www.mngeo.state.mn.us/glo/index.html  Why did he buy it?  Maybe he was speculating or maybe he was logging?  It is interesting to ponder his motives?

 #16446 George Angus Barclay of Cass Co., Minnesota, St. Cloud, Minn 

The southeast quarter of section twenty-eight in township one hundred and thirty-eight north of range twenty-nine west of the fifth principal meridian in Minnesota containing one hundred and sixty acres. Signed by Grover Cleveland, 4 day of April 1888.

I refer you to my post dated October 29, 2010, “George’s Patents for Land!”  For the summary table I posted there:  http://barclayspineriver.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/georges-patents-for-land/

This may be the last patent that George Angus Barclay obtained but it is by no means his last or final land deal.  I spent several afternoons in the Cass County Recorder’s office and the Crow Wing Recorder’s office at the respective courthouses and I found a great deal of information on the many deeds and other land transactions of George and Amarilla.  I will share those as I continue through the years of George’s and Amarilla’s lives in future posts.

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Partition Deed: Morrow County, Ohio 1884

With the death of Amarilla’s grandmother Mary Anne Delano Keller (3 August 1882)  the land and estate of John and Mary was divided up and partitioned among the children and heirs.  Amarilla and George Barclay were the Grantor’s along with others in the following partition deed.   This is one of several deeds dividing up the land among the heirs of John and Mary Keller.  It is the most significant to me because George and Amarilla Barclay (Barkley) are signees. 

The partition deed was dated December 14, 1883.  It was recorded in the Index for Morrow County, Ohio deeds under the name of Charles P. Groves et. al. as Grantor and W.F. Keller et. al. the Grantee.  The clerk’s copy was recorded in Vol. 37, pg. 594, FHL#388692.  Below is a transcription of that deed and my best effort at reading the handwriting of the clerk.

Charles T. Groves et. al.          

Quit Claim Deed   to

Wm. F. & Ida C. Keller

Received: June 18, 1884                     

Know all men by the presents that Mr. Charles T. Groves & Mary E. Groves, his wife of Johnson County and State of Kansas, George Barkley & Amarilia Barkley, his wife of [Twin Grove], State of Minnesota & Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin, his wife of the County of Muscatine and State of Iowa in consideration of the sum of thirty one hundred and fifty dollars to them paid by William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller of Morrow Co., Ohio in receipt  ____is hereby acknowledged do hereby revise, release and forever quit claim to the said William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller their heirs and assigns forever, the following real estate situated in the County of Morrow in the State of Ohio and in the Township of South Bloomfield and bounded and described as follows viz:  

The East half of the North half of the North East Quarter of Section No. Eleven (11) Township No. Six (6) Range No. Fifteen (15). Also Twenty Three (23) acres of land of the East end of the South Half of the North East Quarter of Section No. Eleven (11) Township No. Six (6) Range No. Fifteen (15) Containing in all about sixty three (63) acres of land, more or less. 

To have and to hold said premises with all the _____ and appurtenances hereto belonging to the said William F. Keller and Ida C. Keller their heirs and assigns forever.  In Witness Whereof, the said Charles T. Groves, Mary E. Groves, George Barkley, Amarilia Barkley, Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin wife of said Henry F. Spracklin, who hereby relinquishes all their right of dower in the premises have hereunto set their hands and seals this 26^th day of March in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and eighty four.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered   

Henry F. Spracklin (seal),  Elizabeth Spracklin (seal), George A. Barkley (seal) Amarilia Barkley, (seal),   Charles F. Groves (seal), Elizabeth Groves

In the presents of us  ___Brown,  J.R. Hanley  Witness to signature of George Barkley and Amarilia Barkley – W.H. [Oelmahan], Rachel [Haileny], H.O. Danley.                                                                                              

State of Iowa Muscatine County  ss.

Be it remembered that on this 26^th day of March A.D. 1884 before me the subscriber Notary Public in and for said County personally came the hereinafter named Henry F. Spracklin and Elizabeth Spracklin his wife the Grantors in the above conveyance and acknowledge the Execution signing and sealing of the same to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes herein mentioned and the said Elizabeth Spracklin wife of the said Henry F. Spracklin being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still satisfied herewith as her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.  In Testimony thereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Notarized Seal on the day and year last aforesaid.

                                                                                    (Seal ) Thomas Larson, Notary Public

State of Minnesota County of Crow Wing ss.

Be it Remembered that on the 11^th day of April A.D. 1884 before me the subscriber a Notary Public in and for said County, personally appeared George Barkley,  Amarilia Barkley his wife the Grantors in the above Conveyance and acknowledged the Execution Signing and Sealing of the same, to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and the Said Amarilia Barkley wife of the Said George Barkley being at the same time examined by me Separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same that she is still satisfied therewith is her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.

In Testimony thereof I have herewith subscribed my name and affirmed my seal on this day and year last aforesaid.

                                                            (Seal)  W. M. [Clinaban], Notary Public

State of Kansas,C ounty of Johnson   ss.

Be it Remembered that on this 28^th day of April 1884 before me the subscriber a Notary Public in and for said County came the herein before named Charles T. Groves and Elizabeth Groves his wife the Grantors in the above conveyance and acknowledges the Execution Signing and Sealing of the same to be their voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and that the said Elizabeth Groves wife of the said Charles T. Groves being at the same time examined by me separate and apart from her said husband and the contents of said instrument being by me made known and explained to her then declared that she did voluntarily sign seal and acknowledge the same and that she is still satisfied therewith as her voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned.

In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Notarial seal on the day and year aforesaid.

                                                            Seal  S.H. Barnard, Notary Public

 (Commission Expires June 26, 1887)  Recorded this 8 day of July 1884, By C. ? Han Bri….. Recorder

Deeds can be very helpful in pinpointing the residence of a person and their relationships.   Henry Spracklin  is the full brother of Amarilla.  This deed is significant because it places Henry in Muscatine County, Iowa in 1884 with his wife Elizabeth.  My cousin and I, were finding it difficult to track Henry once he left home after 1870.  So this was great news to find this deed and discover where Henry was living. My cousin descends from this man so it was a great find.

Amarilla and George Barclay are my great grandparents.  This deed connects Amarilla to the Keller and Delano family.  The Delano family is very old and goes back to Philip Delano of the 2nd boat to Plymouth 1620, the Fortune. 

Charles T. Groves and Elizabeth (Mary Elizabeth Helt) are descendants of Lovina Lavinia (Keller) Helt, daughter of Mary and John, and sister to Elizabeth Keller Spracklin.  It places them in Johnson County, Kansas at this date. 

William F. Keller is the Grantee and Executor of his father John’s will.  He is the younger brother to Lovina and Elizabeth and it places him in Morrow County, Ohio at this date.

Recently I traveled to both Massachusetts and Ohio to dig into the research on Amarilla’s forebears and created another blog that will in more depth the Delano, Keller, Spracklin and Goss connections in Amarilla’s ancestral past.  It is too complicated and large for this Barclay blog.  This blog’s focus was on Amarilla’s and George’s life with references to her connections to these families.   That blog is titled “Solomon Goss of Fearing Township in Ohio.”   http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/  I have placed a link under “Blogs I Like” to my other blogs.

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George Barclay Acquires Another Patent!

George continues to manage his land acquisitions and in 1884 he adds still more to his holdings and in that process he is acquiring a little more of the soon to be Pine River.  It is interesting that his location is Hennepin County in this patent?

4. Patent from BML – Cass May 10, 1884, St. Cloud #11834

#11834 Patent: G. A. Barclay of Hennepin Co., Minnesota, …St. Cloud, Minnesota whereby it appears that full payment has been made by the said G.A. Barclay…and the acts supplemental thereto, for the north east quarter of the north west quarter of section six in township one hundred and thirty-seven north, of range twenty-nine west of the Fifth Principal Meridian in Minnesota containing forty acres, and eighteen hundredths of an acre…In Testimony Whereof, I, Chester A. Arthur… 10 of May 1884, etc…

#11834 Patent Added 1884

Click on the map and you will be able to study it in more detail.  Now that I am back from all my trips I can revisit all these land acquisitions and see if they are correct.  The Deed Mapper software is not as helpful in the land states as it is in the colonial states.

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Amarilla’s Connection to Ohio!

Amarilla’s father Daniel D. Spracklin migrated to Iowa about 1855 from Ohio and settled first in Benton County and later moved to Iowa County, Iowa.  Daniel’s first wife, Elizabeth Keller, traveled with him and their babies to Iowa where she died and is buried in the Titler Cemetery.  I have posted about Daniel and Elizabeth in past posts. 

The marriage of Daniel and Elizabeth is recorded in the Morrow County, Ohio records in 1853.  He lived in Knox County with his parents John Andrews Spracklin and Lydia Goss Spracklin till he migrated to Iowa. 

I will be traveling to Ohio this August and visiting the counties of Hardin, Morrow, Knox, Franklin, Portage,  and more in search of the Goss, Spracklin, Keller and Delano history.  My trip starts next week.  Come join me for highlights of this trip at the blog:

Solomon Goss of Fearing Township in Ohio!  http://sgossfamily.wordpress.com/ 

I will be taking a break from this blog so I can devote my time and energy to my pending trip.  I will return in the Fall!

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A Deed: The Northern Pacific Railroad & George – 1883

Meanwhile, George A. Barclay continues to add to his land holdings.

My Aunt Miriam in her notes and the book  ”Logsleds to Snowmobiles“ mention the Northern Pacific Railroad purchase on June 7, 1883.

“…The final 80 acre purchase of the SE1/4 and the SW1/4 (Lot 7) of the SW1/4 of Section 31, Township 138, Range 29, (Barclay Township) was bought on June 7, 1883 from the Northern Pacific Railway Company for $329.36.” (Logsleds – book page 105, 2nd column at the top)

This purchase is a warranty deed 2 pages long which was filed at the Cass County Courthouse on October 30th A.D. 1883 at 9 a.m.  The Grantor was the North Pacific Railroad Co., Minnesota and Dakota Division to George A. Barclay, Grantee #4382.   It was for $329.36, Deed Book F, pg. 167-168.

“…assigns the following described tracts or parcels of land lying and being in the county of Cass in the State of Minnesota that is to say South east quarter of south-west Quarter (SE1/4 SW1/4) and Lot Seven (7) of Section Thirty-one (31) in Township one hundred and thirty-eight (138) north of Range Twenty-nine (29) West of the fifth principal Meridian containing according to the United States Government survey eighty-two 34/100 (82-34/100) acres more or less…

This deed is located in Barclay Township.  It is interesting to note that McNannie is not listed on this deed.   The other problem is that there is a difference in the two descriptions.  So I went back to both and reviewed them carefully to make sure I had transcribed them faithfully, which I have done.  Therefore I have boldy placed the square representing this deed on the map.  The arrow is pointing to the areas in question. 

#4382 Northern Pacific RR Deed is Added

DeedMapper software that creates deeds does not do small Lots for the land state lands like Minnesota.   The land was 82 34/100′s acres and again Deed Mapper created a deed of 80 acres which is slightly smaller than the original.   

So this is an approximation of the Northwest Railroad deed! A copy of the clerk’s book record is available by contacting the compiler or going to the Cass County Recorder’s office at the courthouse in Walker, Minnesota.

I returned to my DeedMapper Help section to make sure I had faithfully captured the topo map and that my deeds are correct and my acreage is right?  I have not reached a conclusion yet.  

So I ask that you are very careful and realize that this is not an easy task.  Please do not take my word for what you see in the maps, instead read the deeds and patents carefully and draw your own conclusions.  I do believe they are in the right area, just not sure about the acreage. 

The quote from Logsleds also says the “final.”  George and Amarilla left a tremendous paper trail in the Recorder’s office at Cass County, there are also some land transactions in the Crow Wing Recorder’s office.  I stopped counting at 40 today!  My spreadsheet is about 13 pages and double-sided.  Oh, did I mention surveying the land….again?  I am not done.    

Northern Pacific Railroad Guide to Company Records: 

http://nwda-db.wsulibs.wsu.edu/findaid/ark:/80444/xv68060

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Stepping Back In Time: Amarilla’s Life In Iowa Before George!

In recent published posts I have talked about John Keller and Mary Anne Delano Keller who were Amarilla’s grandparents on her mother’s side. 

Amarilla was the daughter of Daniel D. Spracklin and Elizabeth Keller.  Daniel’s parents were John Andrews Spracklin and Lydia Goss.  Daniel and Elizabeth had 4 children.  By 1860 Elizabeth had passed.  She had died in 1859 just months after Amarilla’s birth.  

Elizabeth Spracklin's Tombstone , Titler Cemetery, Iowa

A thorough page by page search of the Iowa census was attempted but Daniel was not found.  Amarilla does appear in the 1860 Iowa census in Benton County, Iowa but she is not with her father Daniel? She is with her sister Mary and another family.

1860 U.S. Federal Census Family of Shelley/Spracklin Dwelling# 1175, Hse #1217, pg. 178, Roll #M635-325 Iowa & Jasper Co.,  Marengo Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa, National Archives, Alaska-Pacific Region, Seattle, WA. 1175/1217 – Joseph Shelley, 68 yrs. old, male, farmer, $1400 real estate, $100 personal, born in Tennessee. Sarah Shelley, age 48, born in Maryland, Martha Shelley, age 13, born in Indiana, Eliza, age 9, born in Indiana May Sprackling age 4, male?, born in Iowa, (A)melia age 1 yr., female, born in Iowa

It is my belief that this is Mary and Amarilla even though the spelling is different.  The ages are correct and the location is close.  As for the Shelley family, I do not know what their relationship to Daniel maybe.  The Spracklins and the Kellers are large families and this could easily be relatives that I do not have knowledge of.  They could also just be neighbors and friends helping out.  

The other interesting fact is that Henry, the older brother is also displaced and living with another family in 1860.  In this case it is his Aunt Olive a sister of Daniel’s.

 W. P. Merifield Family, 1860 U.S. Federal Census Leroy Twp., Benton County, Iowa, Reel No M653, # 311, Page 162. Merifield, W.P. 29 farmer 800, 300, born in Ohio, Olive 27 yrs. born in Ohio, Lydia 7 yrs. born in Iowa, Corista 2 yrs born in Iowa, Spracklin, Henry 7, born in Ohio.

There is no sign of Amarilla’s father.  I did a house by house search of the township and there were lots of houses that were empty.  I even searched in Ohio to see if Daniel had gone back to his home in Knox County, Ohio because his father John Andrews Spracklin had died in 1862.  I cannot find him. 

Benton County 1872

So the death of Elizabeth Keller Spracklin in 1859 really created a temporary scattering of the family of Daniel D. Spracklin at that time.  There does not appear to be any evidence that he joined the fight and enlisted in the Civil War.  

By 1870 Daniel is back in the census and he is remarried to Sarah.  He has Henry and Amarilla with him from his first marriage.  Emily is Sarah’s daughter from her first marriage. Sister Mary died on the 27th of September 1861.  This death must have affected Amarilla even though she was very young.   

By 1870, Sarah and Daniel have started to have a family of their own.  The other children: Lydia, Birdie H (Virda), Reed A. are of the 2nd family.

Daniel D. Spracklin Household, 1870 U.S. Federal Census LeRoy Twp., Benton Co., Iowa,  June 17, 1870, Post Office is Blairstown, Page 18. Line 34, 123, 122, Spracklin, Daniel, age 40, male, white, famer, $3300, $700, born in Ohio, father and mother of foreign birth, citizen of US.  Sarah,  34 yrs., female, white, keeping house, born in Indiana.  Henry F. 17 yrs., male, white, born in Ohio.  Emily,  13 yrs, female, white, born in Indiana.  Ammarilla, 11 yrs., female, white, born in Iowa.  Lydia M., 5 yrs., female, white, born in Iowa.  Birdie H., 4 yrs., male, white, born in Iowa. Continued page 19:  Reed A., 1 yrs., male, white, born in Iowa.  Henry, Emily, Ammarilla, Lydia attended school within the year. 

There are other names listed under the notation for Daniel in 1870.  Nelson, Peter 26, farmer with 600 value of personal estate from Denmark, Nelson, Hardie 26 keeping house, from Denmark, Nelson, Andrew 1 yr. born in Iowa, Nelson, Peter 5/12 yr. born in Iowa, all have parentage that are foreign birth, Frederickson, Ann 8, from Denmark, Anderson, Peter 23, laborer Denmark, both with parentage foreign.

Daniel remarried on 21 November 1863 to Sarah Blacketer Allgood in Marengo, Iowa Co., Iowa.  He is still living in LeRoy Twp. in Benton County, Iowa but that will change.  Amarilla was 5 years old when he marries Sarah.  She may be young but old enough to know that something has happened. 

Daniel's Land in Leroy Twp., Benton County, Iowa

In the closeup of the Benton Co. Atlas Daniel’s land is in two parts of 40 acres each.  There is a double line almost in the middle and Daniel’s land is on the left of the line under the School.  There is a dot showing this piece of land.  The other land is to the right on the other side of the double line with another dot next to a Case and below A. Justus.  Which piece of land Daniel had his house located on is not known.  This is why Amarilla’s great-granddaughter, the writer of this blog, believes she was born nearer to Blairstown.  Daniel did not move to Iowa County, Iowa 20 miles south till after 1872.  Amarilla was born in November of 1858.

If you go back to the 1856 Iowa State Census you will find interesting things going on.   Daniel is not mentioned in published indexes for this census but he is definitely there and he and Elizabeth and their son Henry are living next to Blacketers, and Daniel’s sister Olive Merrifield and her family.

1856 Iowa State Census

So Amarilla’s beginnings are a bit precarious.  She looses her mother at a very early age, a sister dies and she is separated from her brother and father for maybe a year or two?  Then her father returns to marry a stranger.  This is a lot for a 5-year-old to take in.

Miriam, Amarilla’s granddaughter writes:  “Amarilla (Ammarilla, sometimes she varied it) belonged to the first family, hated the second and left home.  Supported herself as a seamstress.  Married George Angus Barclay in Brainard, Minn.  He had land…”

Note:  Titler Cemetery is featured on my blog:  BJM’s Cemetery Discoveries scroll to the bottom of this list of posts and you will find the Spracklin stones for Titler as well as some Merifield and more: http://bjmcemeterydiscoveries.blogspot.com/search/label/Titler%20Cemetery

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Amarilla’s Grandmother Keller Passes 1882!

Amarilla’s grandmother Mary Ann Delano Keller died on 3 Aug 1882 in Morrow Co., Ohio.  I have not found anything in the death records for Morrow County about her death like I did for John Keller, her husband. 

Mary is buried with John Keller in the Hedding M.E. Cemetery in Morrow County, Ohio.  I featured that tombstone in the posted dated March 25, 2011 on John Keller’s death. 

Here is another photo of the tombstone:

Keller Tombstone

Mary Anne Delano and John Keller married on 5 March 1831, per the marriage records of Knox Co. or on 15 Mar 1830 per Hse of Delano book in Fredericktown, Knox Co., Ohio. 

Source:  Marriage Records 1808-1851, Probate Court, Knox Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio, FHL#1294304 1808-1853. 

There is information about the family in the book:  The Genealogy, History and Alliances of the American House of Delano 1621-1899, by Major Joel Andrew Delano, Part IV, New York 1899, pg. 426 to 427. 

Mary was the daughter of Stephen Delano (Jr.) and Lovina Smith.  The Delano’s are an old family and go back to Philippe de Lannoy (Delano or de la Noye) to 1621 and the 2nd boat to Plymouth, Massachusetts, The Fortune.   http://www.alden.org/documents/otherships.htm 

There is one submission application for Stephen Delano (Sr.) at the DAR Library.  It is an original application to DAR under Elizabeth Delano, daughter of Stephen Delano and Mary Shaw, and a sister to Stephen Delano, Mary Anne Delano Keller’s father.  You can search for this information at the DAR website it will cost to purchase a copy. 

Miriam, Amarilla’s niece wrote in her notes:

Miriam's Thoughts On DAR

My Aunt Miriam was a little confused.  She was mixing up membership in the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution 1776) with membership in Mayflower 1620. Two very different and separate hereditary organizations.  Miriam is correct there is DAR and Mayflower in Amarilla’s lineage through the Delano family and the Goss family.  I have found a copy of the source book that Miriam mentions from the Boston Public Library and it is close to what was written.   The date is 1973 and a lot more information and sources are available today.

There are green books from the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1999 that were written by Muriel Curtis Cushing that feature the descendants of Philip Delano of the Fortune 1621 and his descendants for four generations to Stephen Delano born 1748.  The other book is the the fifth and sixth generations numbers 198-367 Part I 2004, which does not cover our family and so far I do not see that Part II has been published at this time.

Miriam writes more:  “Amarilla Spracklin Barclay Dawes Urton, My mother’s mother.  Old line American.  Tried to prove her right to membership in DAR but never made it.  Fine old American names in her lineage — Delano, Keller, Dare.”

I am a member of the Delano Kindred: 

http://www.delanokindred.us/index.html 

They are a hereditary organization for Delano descendants.  Ms. Cushing is up for President of this organization in 2011.  Their membership is not that expensive or is it hard to join.  I have yet to submit my family line to them but plan to soon.  You will find information at their website.  They have annual reunions.  As a member I have access to the membership list, a copy of the Delano book I mentioned above and information on what is going on regarding the research on the Delano family. 

Internet Archive has a copy online of the Delano Genealogy Book:  http://www.archive.org/details/genealogyhistory13dela

Wikipedia has an interesting article about the Delano Family with sources:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delano_family

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A daughter is born: Grace Amarilla 1882

Grace Amarilla Barclay was born on April 10, 1882 to George Angus and Amarilla Barclay.  There is no record that completely confirms where Grace was born but most of the records point to Pine River as her place of birth. 

There is a brief reference to a baby being born in the records of the Methodist Episcopal church but nothing specific. Grace’s entry into this world was not as dramatic as her baby brother. 

In 1882-3 Rev. J. A. Gilfillan reports the baptism of one infant at Pine River, crossing of that stream by the Leech Lake and Brainerd road.  Monday Sept 24, 1888 the Bishop confirmed one person.  

Pg. 82-83  Register of the Diocese of Duluth – almost in pieces.

I, Grace’s granddaughter have thoroughly studied the Register of Baptisms & Marriages by Rev. Whipple 142.F.15.3B 1859-1895 MHS and did not find any mention of Grace except for the above possible reference.  No deaths or burials either.

No actual birth record has been found about the birth of Grace.  Her death certificate from the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) gives this date as her birth date. 

See the blog:  The Man Who Lived Airplanes  posted dated July 18, 2010, July 26, 2010 on the death of Grace. 

In Grace’s father, George’s Civil War Pension file there is an affidavit that he signs and in that record he says that “Gracie” is his daughter and Amarilla is his wife.

Affidavit of Grace's Birth

I have no baby pictures of Grace but I do have a picture of her that I think was taken when she was very young. 

Grace Amarilla Barclay

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Life in Pine River – The Barclay Ranch!

There is a book titled: “Down the Mississippi” or “Down the Great River: Embracing An Account of the Discovery of the Mississippi” by Captain Willard Glazier that gives an interesting account of the ranch of George Barclay about 1881.

Headwaters of the Mississippi River - Lake Itasca

In July 2001, I followed up further at the MHS on the reference to Captain Glazier and “Down the Mississippi, (page 35).”  (#F354.655 1841-1905)    This book is not very large about 5 inches by 4 in size and it is bound in a leather cover and it is becoming quite fragile. 

In the table of contents under Chapter II “Through the Chippewa Country” he lists George Barclay …it reads:  “…Ride to Pine River.–Huge Logs and Boulders.–George Barclay.–Characteristics of Indians…….etc.”

Copies were made of pages 35, 36 and 37.  It does not give an exact date.  It does not mention Mrs. Barclay or any children just describes the ranch and accommodations.  The Table of Contents features a really good description of the chapters. 

Page 35-37: 

“After dinner we resumed our journey, with Pine River as the evening destination.  Sometimes in the road, sometimes out of it; now driving along the shore of a lake, and again over huge logs and boulders, it was voted that our ride to Pine River was unlike anything we had ever elsewhere experienced.  The ranch of George Barclay, the only white habitation between Gull Lake and Leech Lake, was reached at five o’clock in the evening.  Here we were most agreeably surprised to find very good accommodations for both man and beast.  Barclay is a decided favorite with the Indians, and his prosperity in this isolated corner of Minnesota is largely due to his friendly relations with them.  He is always supplied with guns, knives, beads, tobacco, and such other goods as are in demand by his dusky neighbors for which he receives in exchange furs, game, snake-root and such other products of the forest as find a ready market at Brainerd or Saint Paul.  Much valuable information was obtained at Pine River concerning our route to Leech Lake and beyond, the peculiar traits and characteristics of the Indians whom we were likely to encounter, and those persons at the Agency who could be of most service to us.  An excellent breakfast on the following morning, with the prospect of reaching Leech Lake, put my little party in the most exuberant spirits for the day……”

Page 148

“…several of my hearers showed their interest by coming large distances to the lecture, and one, George Barclay, a pioneer, told me he had brought his family thirty-seven miles with an ox-team to hear what I had to say about the old explorers.”  Private home in Brainerd, Minnesota August Eighteenth”

In trying to pin down the date or approximate time that Capt. Glazier visited G. Barclay, I found on page. 31 that Glazier headed for Brainerd on July 7, 1881.  He has included his description of George’s ranch in Chapter II – Through the Chippewa Country.  They headed for what is called the Government Road on July 12th to Leech Lake.  He stopped at Reuben Gray’s house who had a hotel/pioneer half-way house between Brainerd and Leech Lake at Gull Lake.  

The interesting thing is that there is no mention of the death of baby George just a little before the visit by Capt. Glazier?

This book is currently available for viewing at Google Books and is well worth reading.

Note:  The photograph above was taken at the headwaters site in the park at Lake Itasca.  They had to clean up the lake from the logging and fix this area with cement so that is why it looks so orderly.  Here is a link to the State Park website:  http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/itasca/index.html  I think I saw a red fox in the trees when we were there.

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A Tragedy: An Accident – Baby George Dies!

For many years I did not know how little baby George died.  I had been to the cemetery and viewed his tombstone next to his father but I didn’t understand why he had died so young?

On my last trip to Minnesota in 2007, I found a brief article in the Brainerd newspaper that described the whole ordeal.

George Alexander was only 18 months old.  He died on the 19th of June 1881 on the way to Brainerd from Pine River.  Apparently he drank  some German Cough balsam that was filled with probably codeine and his little body could not handle the amount of narcotic and he died en route probably in his mother’s arms as George tried desperately to get them to Brainerd and get help.  They were too late.

There is no mention of the death of the baby in the Whipple papers at the Minnesota Historical Society (Methodist Episcopal).  The papers are very difficult to read and I have actually looked at them twice to see if I could make out anything else. 

The article appears in the Brainerd Tribune, Saturday, June 25, 1881 under Local News – Death of Baby George A. Barclay.

1) Mr. and Mrs. G.A. Barclay desire to express their heartfelt thanks to the citizens of this place for their kind sympathy and attentions manifested during their recent bereavement, and for the assistance rendered during the last solemn rites at the funeral of their lamented child.

2) A sad occurrence transpired in the family of Mr. George Barclay, postmaster at Pine River, last Saturday.  Their infant child, about seventeen months old, had in some manner got hold of a bottle of German cough balsam , and drank the whole of it.  No physician being nearer Pine River than Brainerd, Mr. and Mrs. Barclay immediately started with the child for this place. But the effects of the potion were to speedy, as just upon arriving in town the child expired.  This is a very severe blow to the bereaved parents, and the sympathies of the community are heartily enlisted in their behalf.  The remains were interred in the Brainerd cemetery on Monday.

George Alexander is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd, MN location:  Center N 1/2 Lot 17 Block 7.  He is next to his father and mother, George and Amarilla Barclay.

George Alexander Barclay

Written on the tombstone for baby George is the following: 

Sacred to the memory George A. infant son of G.A. & A. Barclay died June 19, 1881 1 yr. 5 mo. 9 days.  Underneath this stone do lie as much virtue as could die which when alive did vigor give to us much beauty as could live. 

There is a little lamb on the top of the tombstone.  This tombstone is to the right of the father, George A. Barclay in Evergreen Cemetery in Brainered, MN.

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