J. Allen Barber
StateWisconsin
Term startMarch 4, 1871
Term endMarch 3, 1875
PredecessorAmasa Cobb
SuccessorHenry S. Magoon
Order 115th
Title 1Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
Term start 1January 14, 1863
Term end 1January 13, 1864
Predecessor 1Joseph W. Beardsley
Successor 1William W. Field
State senate 2Wisconsin
District 216th
Term start 2January 1, 1856
Term end 2January 1, 1858
Predecessor 2Nelson Dewey
Successor 2Noah H. Virgin
Office 3Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Constituency 3Grant 3rd district
Term start 3January 1, 1863
Term end 3January 1, 1865
Predecessor 3Joseph Trotter Mills
Successor 3Henry Utt
Constituency 4Grant 5th district
Term start 4January 1, 1853
Term end 4January 1, 1854
Predecessor 4Position Established
Successor 4Milas K. Young
Constituency 5Grant 4th district
Term start 5January 1, 1852
Term end 5January 1, 1853
Predecessor 5Robert M. Briggs
Successor 5Jeremiah E. Dodge
Office 6District Attorney of Grant County
Term start 6January 1, 1853
Term end 6January 1, 1855
Predecessor 6William Hull
Successor 6James M. Goodhue
Term start 7January 1, 1846
Term end 7January 1, 1849
Predecessor 7James M. Goodhue
Successor 7William Biddlecome
Term start 8January 1, 1840
Term end 8January 1, 1844
Predecessor 8F. J. Munger
Successor 8Willis H. Chapman
Office 9President of the Lancaster Village Board
Term start 9April 1875
Term end 9May 1878
Predecessor 9Addison Burr
Successor 9Position abolished
Term start 10April 1860
Term end 10April 1863
Predecessor 10John Chandler Holloway
Term start 11April 1856
Term end 11April 1857
Predecessor 11Position established
Successor 11J. H. Hyde
Birth dateJanuary 17, 1809
Birth placeGeorgia, Vermont
Death dateJune 28, 1881 (aged 72)
Death placeLancaster, Wisconsin
Resting placeHillside Cemetery
Lancaster, Wisconsin
Party
FatherJoel Barber
MotherAseneth Melvin Barber

Joel Allen Barber (January 17, 1809 – June 28, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, he was the 15th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and he served one term in the Wisconsin State Senate.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Barber was born in the town of Georgia, in Franklin County, Vermont, to Joel and Aseneth Melvin Barber.[4] He worked on a farm until age 18, then entered the Georgia Academy. After graduating from the academy, he attended the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he studied law. He left the university after two and a half years and read law with George P. Marsh. He was admitted to the bar in 1833[4] in Prince George's County, Maryland, where he was teaching school, and commenced practice in Fairfield, Vermont.

Career

Barber moved to the Wisconsin Territory in 1837, settling in Lancaster, in Grant County, where he continued to practice law.[4] He served as county clerk for Grant County, for four years and as district attorney for three terms. He served as member of the first constitutional convention of Wisconsin in 1846.[4]

Barber was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1852, 1853, as a Whig, in 1863 as a Republican, and, 1864, on the National Union ticket. He was elected speaker for the 1863 session.[4] He also served one two-year term as Grant County's representative in the Wisconsin State Senate in 1856 and 1857.[4]

After establishing a law partnership with George Clementson in 1869, Barber was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Republican, serving in the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1875.[4] He served as the representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. While Barber was serving in Congress, George Clementson conducted the legal work of their firm. Barber was not a candidate for renomination in 1874, and was succeeded by Henry S. Magoon.[5] Upon leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law with Clementson.

Death

Barber died in Lancaster, Wisconsin, June 28, 1881,[4] following an attack of peritonitis[5] and was interred in Hillside Cemetery.

Notes

  1. ^ J. Allen Barber
  2. ^ Butterfield, C. W. (ed.) (1881). History of Grant County, Wisconsin. Western Historical Company. pp. 875-876. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  3. ^ Holford, Costello N. (ed.) (1900). History of Grant County, Wisconsin. The Teller Print. pp. 111–113. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  4. ^ "Old Settler Gone". Daily State Gazette. June 30, 1881. p. 1. Retrieved July 4, 2017. – via Newspapers.com
  5. ^ "Hon. J. Allen Barber". Janesville Daily Gazette. June 29, 1881. p. 1. Retrieved July 5, 2017. – via Newspapers.com