Civil War Records of George E. Barker

Service

Pension

Grand Army of the Republic

E.M. Stanton Post 20 G.A.R., Rising City, Butler County, Department of Nebraska (Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War National Graves Registration Database,www.suvcwdb.org).

Death

Additional Information

There are four Barkers named on the Acton Memorial Library Civil War memorial tablets: one survivor, George E., and three who lost their lives (Cyrus E., Eben, and Frank J.).  The vital records and census evidence suggests that the four were brothers.

Their father was Ebenezer Barker, born in Acton, Mass. in 1795 to Ebenezer and Lydia Barker (Vital Records of Acton Massachusetts to the Year 1850: 14).  Ebenezer married Elizabeth H. Robbins of Ashburnham in August 1831, in Acton (Vital Records of Acton: 130).

In 1840 the father Ebenezer, his wife, and four children were living in Acton  ("1840 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com).

Cyrus, Ebenezer, George Emery Barker, and Jonus, sons of Ebenezer, were baptized after July 2, 1843 in Westford, Mass. records (Vital Records of Westford  Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849: 10.)

In the 1850 census the family is recorded as living in Westford:  Eben, age 49; Elisabeth H., age 42; Elisabeth, age 17, Silva, age 16; Cyrus, age 12; Eben, age 10; James, age 6; and Geo E, age 3 ("1850 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com).

The mother, Elisabeth Barker, died in Acton May 15, 1852, of consumption, at age 44   ("Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910," vol. 67, p. 46,  American Ancestors.org). The father, Ebenezer Barker died in Acton on May 29, 1855, age 53, of erysipelas  ("Massachusetts Vital Records 1841-1910," vol. 94, p. 27, American Ancestors.org)

In 1855 George Emory Barker, age 9, is recorded as living in Acton in the household  (344/356) of Joseph Wheeler  (Lainhart, 1855 and 1865 Massachusetts State Censuses for Acton: 42).

George Barker is the only family member found in Acton in the 1860 census, age 14, still in the household (175/179) of Joseph Wheeler ("1860 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com).

George E. Barker enlisted  as a Private in the Sixth Battery Massachusetts Volunteer Light Artillery on Dec. 13, 1864, his age recorded as 21.  His residence was recorded as Lowell (MASSCW, 5:414). 

He married Emily Shay (later Tucker) in Nebraska in 1874, and according to information in his pension file, he died in Nebraska in 1888 at the age of 42, leaving his widow and two daughters under the age of sixteen.

* His age at the time of his death indicates that he was 19 years old at the time of his enlistment, rather than the age of 21 recorded in the service record. His widow mentions in her deposition that he served twice, but she does not know with which other unit.  There is a second service record for a George E. Barker, who enlisted earlier in 1864 at age 19 with the Sixth Regiment Mass. Volunteer Militia (100 Days) with credit to Billerica (MASSCW, 1:446). This may be the same person.

The name George E. Barker is included on the Acton Memorial Library Soldiers' Tablet, "The Men of Acton Who Fought For The Union."

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See also:

Hosmer, The Town of Acton in the Civil War: 32.

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