Silas H. Barber

Silas Harrison Barber was my great-great grandfather. He was born in Watkinsville, Clarke County, Georgia 28 April 1823, the second son of Allen and Frances H. (Crawford) Barber, and the grandson of James and Penelope Barber. James and Penelope and family were early members of the Mars Hill Baptist Church. Silas and his family moved to Alabama around 1841, to Chambers and then to Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

Silas H. Barber was the bondsman for the marriage of his sister, Susan Jane, to Samuel Holliday, 12 December 1843 in Tallapoosa County. Silas H. Barber traveled to Nacodoches County, Texas in 1846 with his future in-laws Benjamin and Eliza (Berryhill) Posey. He married their daughter Sarah Ann Posey 6 December 1846 in Nacodoches County. Silas and family moved to Limestone County, Texas about 1858, along with the Posey family. He was a wagon maker and mechanic by trade.

Silas served in the Confederate Army from Limestone County. He served in the 10th (Nelson's) Regiment, Texas Infantry. He was 38 years old. He and most of the 10th were captured by the Union Army at Fort Hindman, Arkansas Post, Arkansas on January 11, 1863. He was shipped to Camp Douglas, Illinois. He was exchanged on April 9 1863 at City Point, Virginia and rejoined his outfit after he recovered his health.

Sarah Ann (Posey) Barber, the first wife of Silas Harrison Barber, died 28 January 1868 in Hill County, Texas. She had twelve children,

[1] Eliza F.,
[2] Robert Thomas Barber, b. 26 Dec 1848, d. 13 Aug 1914, Kiefer, Creek Co OK, md (1) Susan A. C. Lucas July 1868, (2) Alice A. Grimsley
[3] Benjamin A. Barber, b 25 Aug 1850, md Mariah R. Ward 11 June 1876, Hill Co. Tx
[4] James Monroe Barber, b. 17 Jan 1852, md Sarah E. Wood (my great-grandparents)
[5] John C. Barber, b. 20 March 1853, md (1) Josephine C. Lucas, 1871, (2) Annie Mollie ___ ca 1876.
[6] Silas Harrison Barber Jr, born 1854, d. 1880
[7] Alfred C. Barber, born 28 March 1856, died 14 July 1881, md M. Callie Hodges 1875.
[8] Martha Susan (Sudie) Barber, born 21 Dec 1857, d. 7 Nov 1948, md Marquis Lafayette Coker 7 Nov 1875.
[9] son, born and died 1 Feb 1859
[10] R. U. Barber, born 8 Aug 1860, died 7 Sept 1884
[11] M. H. Barber, born 20 Sept 1865, d. 13 May 1871
[12] Mary A. Barber, born 31 Jan 1867, died 12 Nov 1886, md W. H. Fant 13 March 1882

Sarah Ann Posey died in 1868, and Silas Barber married her sister, Tinsley Elizabeth (Posey) Stinson, the widow of John Stinson, 16 Oct 1868. They had four children:

[13] Richmond Fielder Barber, b. 16 Aug 1869, d. 1928, served in Spanish American War. His wife was named Gladys.
[14] Richard Watkins Barber, twin of Richmond, md Mrs. Minerva Louisa Crawford Smith June 1900. He died 8 Dec 1951
[15] Hardy Jay Barber, born 3 July 1872, Hill Co Tx, md Mary Ella Coker 24 Dec 1893 in Indian Territory. He was murdered near Altus, Oklahoma in 1911.
[16] Lafayette E. Barber, born 17 May 1874, d 1909, md May



The second wife of Silas Harrison Barber died 18 August 1874 in Hill County, Texas, and Silas married (3) Mrs. Pullin, 9 April 1876. No children by the third marriage. Silas H. Barber died 12 October 1910 and is buried beside his oldest son, Robert, in the Keifer cemetery, Creek County, OK. His parents, Allen and Frances (Crawford) Barber, left Alabama in the 1840s and moved to Van Wert, Polk County, Georgia where they died and are buried near their oldest son, Wiley Crawford Barber. His grandfather, James Barber, died in Clarke County, Georgia in 1847 and is buried there, and Penelope died in Walton County a year or two later.

Contributed by David Morgan