Judge Wiley C. Barber

Judge Wiley C. Barber, a leading farmer of Polk County, Ga, was born in Clark County, Ga., July 7, 1820, and is a son of Allen and Fannie (Crawford) Barber, being the eldest of five living children -- W. C., Silas H., Robert S., Susan J. and Mary F. Allen Barber was a native of Georgia, born in 1800, and was a mechanic, but for the better part of his life was engaged in agriculture.

W. C. Barber was reared on the home farm, and began his business life by teaching school in what is now Polk County, Ga., which vocation he followed about three years, after which he followed various pursuits, as detailed in the sketch of James R. Barber, given below, eventually settling in Polk County, where he now resides, devoting his attention to farming, trading and real estate. He also has a large plantation in Jefferson and Claiborne counties, Miss., and extensive iron ore property in the county of his residence -- Polk, Ga.

In 1840 he married Miss Louisa C. Casey, a daughter of Henry Casey, of Morgan County, and of the five children that blessed this union, two are living -- Mrs. Fannie J. Ford and James R. Mrs. Louisa C. Barber departed this life in September, 1856, a consistent member of the Methodist Church, and in 1857 Mr. Barber married Miss Elizabeth E. Ammons, daughter of Jesse Ammons, of Meriwether County, Ga., but this lady passed away in 1859, a member of the Baptist Church, and in 1861 Mrs. Barber's third nuptials were celebrated with Miss Emily Gresham, daughter of Edward Gresham, to which union two children were born -- Stella A. Lovelace and Wiley C.

The third Mrs. Barber died March 27, 1875, a member of the Methodist Church, and Mr. Barber's fourth marriage was in 1875, to Miss Elizabeth B. Heslep, of Polk County, daughter of David D. Heslep, and to this last marriage have been born four children, viz: Kate M., Rufus H., Margaret E. and Almoth B. Mr. Barber is a Master Mason, and in politics is a Republican.

[Souvenir Sketches, Georgia and Florida, published before Wiley Crawford Barber died in 1892]

Contributed by David Morgan