4. | Jeremiah "Jerry" J. BARNER was born on 4 May 1838 in Greene Twp, Clinton Co, PA (son of Henry BARNER and Catharine KERN); died on 25 Dec 1914 in Greene Twp, Clinton Co, PA; was buried in Church of Brethren Cemetery - Eastville. Other Events and Attributes:
- Military Service: Civil War - 11th PV Infantry, Co. B
Notes:
JEREMIAH J. BARNER, one of the most
progressive lumbermen and farmers of Green
township, Clinton Co, was born there on
May 1, 1838, a son of Henry Barner, a native of
Schuylkili Co, Pennsylvania.
John Barner, the grandfather, was also born
in Schuylkill Co, and was of German descent.
He was an agriculturist, and on leaving his native
county came to what is now Clinton county (then
Centre), and in Green township purchased a tract
of 400 acres, which he improved and cultivated
throughout the remainder of his life. In connection
with farming he also engaged in lumbering.
He was a man well known and highly respected.
Retiring one night in the best of health, he was
found dead in bed the next morning, being shot
during the night by some unknown assassin, who
was never found or brought to justice for the terrible
crime. His wife was one of the best of
women, very strong, being able to carry three
bushels of wheat, and at the time her youngest
child was married she was still able to ride on
horseback over the mountains to visit her children.
In the family were twenty-two children,
one of whom were twins, but only the names of
the following are known: David, George, Henry,
Benjamin, John, Daniel, Adam, Samuel, Christopher,
Herman, Lyddie, Mary, Fanny, Elizabeth
and Catharine.
Henry Barner, our subject’s father, received
a fair education in both the German and English
languages. He accompanied his parents on their
emoval to Clinton Co, where he grew to
manhood on the home farm, and on starting out
in life for himself engaged in agricultural pursuits
in Sugar Valley, Green township, where in 1840
he bought 300 acres of timber land, Upon his
place he erected a sawmill, and converted the
timber into marketable lumber, and cleared 150
acres of his land, which he placed under cultivation
and improved with good buildings, including
a fine residence. He also conducted a hotel or
tavern for five years on his farm in Green township,
and in his undertakings met with a fair degree
of success. He was a stanch supporter of
the Democracy, and was an elder in the Lutheran
Church. His upright, honorable course in life
gained for him the confidence and esteem of all
with whom he came in contact, either in his business
or social relations.
In Green township, Clinton Co, Henry
Barner was united in marriage with Miss Catharine
Kurn, who was born in Logan township, a
daughter of John Kurn, a native of Germany, and
a farmer by occupation. The following children
were born to them; John, a resident of Green
township; Israel, who died in 1892; Emanuel, of
Nittany Valley, Penn., Sarah, widow of David
Miller; Jacob B., Jeremiah J., Rebecca, wife of
David Shryer; Daniel, of Green township; Helen,
wife of Samuel Engle; Catharine, wife of John
Douty; Henry, who died when young; George,
of Penn’s Valley; and one who died in infancy.
The father departed this life in 1872, the mother
In 1893, and both were laid to rest in Mount
Union cemetery, Green township.
Jeremiah J. Barner obtained a limited education
in the public schools of Green township, but
his business training was not so meagre, and he
had so thorough a knowledge of the milling business
that at the early age of twelve years he was
given charge of a circular saw for the lumber
firm of Voras & Caldwell in the eastern part of
Green township, remaining with them for three
years. For the same length of time he was a
sawyer for Hoover & Price, and. the next three
years were spent in the sawmill of Haffey & Co.
He was then a partner in the manufacture of
shingles in the Engle sawmill, but two years
later he accepted the position of head sawyer in
a mill at Williamsport, where he remained three
years, and spent the following eight years in a
mill on Little Pine creek, after which he traveled
for a time through the western States, and in the
Rocky Mountains as far as Colorado. He then
accepted a position in a sawmill in Jackson Co,
MO., but as the climate did not agree with his
health, he resigned at the end of two months and
eturned hone. After working in a sawmill in
Brush Valley, Centre Co, for a year and a
half he came to Green township, Clinton Co,
in 1885, and entered into partnership with
the Engle brothers in the manufacture of lumber,
since doing business under the firm style of Engle,
Barner & Engle. It is one of the most reliable
companies of the kind in the Co, and is
meeting with a well-deserved success. Mr.
Barner is also interested in farming, having a
valuable place of sixty-five acres, whose well-tilled
fields and neat and thrifty appearance testify
to the skill and ability of the owner as an
agriculturist.
During the dark days of the Civil war, Mr.
Barner laid aside all personal interest, and at
Lock Haven, on August IO, 1861. enlisted in
Company B,11th P. V. I. under Capt. Shanks
and Col. P. D. Collier. On being mustered in
at Harrisburg, the regiment was assigned to the
Army of the Potomac, and with his command
our subject participated in the battles of Falling
Water, White Plains, Thompson Gap, Cedar
Mountain and Gettysburg. After the last named
engagements he, with three comrades, bought
some milk to drink, and the others died from the
poison which it contained, while he himself
thereby rendered unlit for duty for almost a
year, during which time he was confined in six
different hospitals in Washington, and suffered
untold agonies. As soon as he was able to be
moved he was discharged in May, 1864, at Washington,
and returned home.
At Lock Haven, Mr. Barner was married to
Miss Elizabeth Engle, a native of Green township,
Clinton Co, and a daughter of John
Engle, a lumberman. Her brother Jacob is now
a partner of our subject. Five children grace
this union : Franklin is engaged in milling; Mc-
Clellan is postmaster and a sawyer at Carroll,
Green township; Clara is the wife of Cyrus Bixler.
Of Buffalo Valley, Union Co., Penn. ; Lawrence
was educated in the Musical College of
Freeburg, and is now engaged in teaching music;
and Grant is at home.
Fraternally, Mr. Barner is an honored member
of George E. Myers Post No. 379, G. A. R.,
and Sugar Valley Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., both of
Loganton, while politically he has been a pronounced
Republican since the war. For five
years he has served as school director, and he
has always taken an active interest in those measures
calculated to promote the general welfare
along various lines. As a citizen he is highly respected,
enjoys the confidence of his neighbors,
and is regarded as a man of excellent business
judgment.
Birth:
Died:
Jeremiah married Elizabeth ENGLELock Haven, Clinton Co, PA. Elizabeth was born in 1842 in Greene Twp, Clinton Co, PA; died on 2 Feb 1911 in Williamsport, Lycoming Co, PA; was buried in Church of Brethren Cemetery - Eastville. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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