Henry Dwight Barrows
Henry Dwight Barrows | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | August 7, 1914 | (aged 89)
Burial place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Glendale, California |
Nationality | American |
Henry Dwight Barrows (February 23, 1825 – August 7, 1914) was an American teacher, businessman, farmer, goldminer, reporter,
Early life
Henry D. Barrows was born in
His first business experience was clerking in New York City in 1849. The next year he went to Boston, where, as entry clerk and then as bookkeeper, he worked in the dry goods business of J. W. Blodgett & Co. for over two years acquiring business experience. While there he enjoyed the books, lectures, music, and opera., which that city afforded.
Gold Rush and early life in Los Angeles
On April 26, 1852, he sailed for
Later Barrows obtained an engagement as teacher of music in the Collegiate Institute in
From 1856, for nearly ten years, he was the Los Angeles correspondent of the
Civil War
Until the formation of the
By President Lincoln's recess appointment on April 9, 1861, he became the
On April 10, 1862, as the federal Marshal for Southern California, Henry D. Barrows, wrote to Brigadier General George Wright, commander of the Pacific Department of the Union Army, headquartered in San Francisco, complaining of anti-Union sentiment in Southern California. The letter says such sentiment "permeates society here among both the high and the low," and reports:
Beauregard, the rebel general, which he flaunted before a large crowd at the hotel when he arrived. I induced Colonel Carleton to have him arrested as one of the many dangerous secessionists living in our midst, and to-day he was taken to Camp Drum. He was accompanied by General Volney E. Howard as counsel, and I have but little hope that he will be retained in custody.[3]
Brought before Colonel Carleton, A. J. King was made to take an oath of allegiance to the Union and was then released. King unlike the members of the
Also while Marshall, Barrows successfully petitioned to have the anti-Lincoln, pro-Democrat and pro-secessionist newspaper The Los Angeles Star banned from the use of the mails in October 1864 which ended its long existence as the city newspaper.
Barrows wife, Juanita Wolfskill, died January 31, 1863, some months after giving birth to their daughter, Alice Wolfskill Barrows, who was born July 16, 1862.[4]
Later life
From 1864 Barrows engaged in the mercantile business for fifteen years. On August 14, 1864, he married Mary Alice Workman, daughter of John D. Woodworth and widow of Thomas H. Workman, who was killed by the explosion of the steamer SS Ada Hancock in San Pedro Bay April 23, 1863. She died in Los Angeles March 9, 1868, leaving two daughters: Ada Frances, born May 21, 1865, and Mary Washington, born February 22, 1868, and died in infancy. Barrows third wife was Bessie A. Greene, a native of Utica, N.Y. They were married November 28, 1868, and had a son, Harry Prosper Barrows, born December 14, 1869.
For many years prior to the 1880s Barrows took an active part in public education. For much of the time during fifteen years he served as a member of the school board of Los Angeles. In 1867 he was elected city superintendent, and in 1868, county superintendent.
Barrows wrote on many subjects for the local press, and especially on financial questions, including resumption of specie payment and bimetallism. He contributed an essay to the contest in 1889 by M. Henri Cernuschi on International Bimetallism.[5]
Mr. Barrows administered a number of large estates, including that of William Wolfskill. He was appointed by the
In 1868 he was president of the Historical Society of Southern California, of which he was one of the founders, and to the records of which he contributed many valuable papers of reminiscences. Barrows was also one of the charter members of the founders of the Society of Los Angeles Pioneers. He wrote about one hundred sketches of early pioneers of Los Angeles, most of whom he knew personally, for the Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, issued in 1889. He also wrote the text of the Illustrated History of Central California, published in 1893.
Barrows voted for every Republican candidate for president until 1900, when he voted for
References
- ^ Abraham Lincoln and the California Patronage, by John Denton Carter, 1943, American Historical Association.
- ^ "History of Marshals for the Southern District of California". Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
- ^ Candidate With Pro-Slavery Views Elected District Attorney in 1863
- ^ "Juana gave birth to a daughter on the 16 of July, 10 days after her Mother's death. She got along very well for two or three weeks but since, she has had a cough & has been quite weak. Dr. Hayward is attending her & she is better within a day or two. I feel anxious about her cough. Her cancer troubles her some. The babe is doing fine, is now about 6 weeks old. We call her Alice Wolfskill Barrows. She squalls good deal but we all think a good deal of her. They say she looks like me." 1862 Letter: Henry D. BARROWS to Timothy WOLFSKILL; Los Angeles, Cal. Aug. 26, 1862
- ^ Henry Dwight Barrows, International Bi-metallism: an essay, Stoll & Thayer, 1891