My GG Grandfather

Robert Patterson (R P) Barr was born in Ireland on 8/4/1802. He came with his parents to America in 1804, and a younger sister Elizabeth was born at sea on the voyage here. He lived with his parents in Wheatfield Township, Indiana Co, PA until late 1830 when he moved his family to Brookville, Jefferson Co, PA. He was a brick maker and became the first Building Contractor in the area. He built and owned a flour and lumber mills along with some timber lands in the area which he sold in 1850. In 1851, he was an Associate Judge in Brookville. He was considered very prosperous at the time. (Ref: History of Jefferson Co PA by Kate Scott & Jefferson Co, PA by W J Knight, M.D. -printed 1898)

In 1855, at the age of 53, he moved his family which consisted of 9 adults - himself, his wife, 1 son, 4 daughters, 2 son-in-laws, and 2 nephews - and 5 kids, to "Ioway Country". The steamboat ticket cost $144, and carried them from Pittsburgh to Cairo, ILL down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and to eastern Iowa around Sabula.

He bought a section of land at $1.25 per acre in Clinton Co., IA 10 miles west of Lyons, Iowa along the Cherry Creek Valley and became a farmer. Later this property was subdivided and one of the farms was named Cherrywood. His family built their large farmhouse and out-buildings.

In the 1860's the family built a grist-flour mill on the Cherry Creek that ran through his property, along with a 3room cottage, for the family member who became the miller, It was built adjacent to the large parental home where the family lived. This mill was in DeWitt Township about 6 miles east of the town of DeWitt. The Cherry Creek Mills - R P Barr & Sons, proprietors, DeWitt, Iowa included 20 -30 acres of pastures and wild hay lands, with the miller's cottage, barn, cow shed, pig pen, chicken coop and a large garden. In the early 1870's, Samuel Stough-Stowe married Emily Barr and became the miller for the family, and his family lived in the miller cottage. They added additional living space to the cottage where Emily's brother Robert Patterson Barr, who was a millwright, and his family would live. R P Jr was responsible for the maintenance, repair and improvement of the mill equipment and property. All of the children of these two families were born here on the Mill property. While their main responsibly was the mill they still had to help out with the farming.

The R P Barr family, encountered hard times in the early 1870's which resulted In the sale of the farm properties in November 1874. (Ref: Clinton Co IA Deed BK #22 Pg569 -RP & wife conveyed warranty deed on 11/19/1874 for property "Sect#1,Twsp#81 Range#4" to James Moran). Most of the family members had to disperse to different areas of Iowa. R P and his wife had to move into the miller cottage homes. R P Barr died of cancer in 1876 and his wife Mary (Chetister) Barr died in 1879. They were interred in the Elmwood Cemetery in DeWitt. The Mill property became the property of R P Barr Jr and Samuel Stough,in Partnership.

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In 7/1988, Elmwood Cemetery responded to my letter saying that Robert Patterson and his wife Mary were not buried at Elmwood Cemetery, nor was Mary Jane "Jennie" their daughter.
The Emily Barr- Stowe Family Notes include references to Emily's visits to her parents graves in the cemetery.
In addition; R P.'s daughter, Mary Jane "Jennie" died in Marion, Linn Co, IA in 3/1908.

Obituaries from the Marion, IA Sentinal Newspaper
Page 147 - Miss Jennie Barr, D March 8, 1909, school teacher, Marion, B Iowa, age 76yrs5mo10da. Father R. P. Barr, B Pa Mother Mary Cheilister (Chetister), B Pa. Buried DeWitt, Iowa. E. L. Stowe, paid charges.
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Emily's son Ernest L Stowe, who was making about $1200 per year, paid almost $500 for her final burial expenses that included a Lot in Elmwood Cem for Mary Jane, so she would be near her PARENTS. The deed to that Lot was in his final papers.

There is no doubt that all 3 of the above were buried at Elmwood Cemetery.
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Bio provided by Lee Richards