Biography of George W. Barney, pages 514 / 515.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

George W. Barney, one of the pioneers of Concord township. is a native of 
Essex County, N.Y., born in Willsboro, Oct. 13, 1815, the youngest son of 
Solomon and Charity (Horde) Barney, his father a native of England, and his 
mother of New York, of Scotch parentage.  When he was a small boy his father 
moved to Ashtabula County, Ohio, and built an iron foundry, and as soon as 
old enough he began to assist him, continuing till fifteen years of age, 
when his father died; and three years later he went to Canada and lived with 
an older brother till 1836, when he returned to Ohio and lived with a brother-
in-law till the spring of 1838.  He then came to DeKalb County, Ind., and 
assisted in building one of the first mills in the county, at Orange.  He 
worked in this mill two years, and in the meantime bought eighty acres of 
land in Wilmington Township, which he rented for a time.  In 1840 he moved 
to Spencerville and was employed as manager of the mill, store and large 
farm of Reuben J. Dawson, till the death of the latter.  In 1861 he was 
elected Treasurer of the county, and served four years.  Previous to this, 
in 1845, he was elected Magistrate, but after serving a year resigned, but 
in 1849 was again elected and served twelve years.  The first couple he 
married lived in Newville Township, and he walked five miles, without 
compensation, to perform the ceremony.  In 1865, after the expiration of 
his term as Treasurer, he returned to Spencerville, and engaged in the 
mercantile business with Henry Miller a short time.  His son Solomon then 
became his partner, and subsequently, as they became old enough his other 
sons were admitted to the firm, the name being George W. Barney & Sons.  
In 1879 he retired from active business, leaving the management of the 
store to his sons.  In 1880 he was elected Justice of the Peace and served 
four years.  Mr. Barney was married May 28, 1840, to Jane Bratton, a native 
of Pennsylvania, born July 11, 1816, and to them have been born eight 
children, but three of whom are living---Solomon, born Sept. 22, 1844; 
Franklin, born Jan. 13, 1852; and Marquis, born Nov. 21, 1858.  Lucius, 
born May 15, 1841, was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting as 
Orderly Sergeant of Company A, One Hundredth Indiana Infantry, and being 
mustered out as Captain.  He died Oct. 5, 1869.  John S., born Nov. 13, 
1842, enlisted in the Eleventh Indiana, and died while a prisoner in Texas, 
October, 1864.  Mary C., born Jan. 25, 1848, died Dec. 23, 1869.  George W., 
Jr. was born Dec. 20, 1849, and died July 23, 1853.  Stephen, born Dec. 5, 
1854, died March 15, 1856.  Mr. and Mrs. Barney have been members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church since 1850.  In politics he has been a life-long 
Democrat.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com