"Thomas Barden was born in 1764, at Attleborough, Mass. At an early age he entered the army of the Revolutionary war with his older brother, George, his father, and his grandfather. His grandfather was killed in battle and his brother died later while engaged in the army service. In 1789, he left his home in Massachusetts and came to what was then known as the West. He engaged to work for Dr. Caleb Benton at Bellona in the saw mill, on September 29, 1789, having walked all the way from his log home. He worked at getting out lumber for the Geneva Hotel. On the 2d of February, 1792, he was married to the daughter of Dr. Benton, Miss Olive, and they began housekeeping soon after. In 1794, Thomas Barden bought of his father-in-law, the farm known then as Number 9. He was made Captain of one of the early militia companies under Major Huie, and while marching with his company under the regimental command at Old Castle, on June 11, 1813, Captain Barden's horse, in the hurry and crowding of the march, jostled one John Decker a blacksmith of Potter Center. Captain Barden fearing that Decker might think it intentional rode back, dismounted and while holding out his hand with an apology for the collision, Decker dealt him a violent blow under the left ear and felled him dead at his feet. Decker was tried for murder at Canandaigua, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to State Prison for a term of four years. Captain Barden's body was buried in Bellona Cemetery. He was survived by his widow and eight children, Thomas 4th, Ezekiel C., Levi, Otis B., Olive, Isaac, Richard and Polly. -- From 'Cleveland's History of Yates County.' "

The above biography was taken from 'Patriotic Bellona,' a small booklet published in 1911 by T. Maxwell Morrison.