Pleasant Barber

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

Pleasant Barber is said to have been born 27 March 1842, his pension indicates March 1844 and census indicates as early as 1840 in Greenup County, Kentucky. When he died 19 October 1897 he died with the surname Barber. He is buried in Ashland Cemetery, Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky.

His mother's first name is Phoebe. Many researchers have repeatedly copied other researchers work stating that she was the daughter of Joseph Barber and Nancy Goad. They lead you to believe that Pleasant took his mother's maiden name as an adult. At this point in my research I am not convinced that this is the case.

Most suppositions by those researchers seem to be based on the 1850 Federal Census for Greenup County, Kentucky. This census shows Phoebe age 41 in the household of Jacob Hood and lists the following children all with the surname of Hood: Hezekiah 16, Nancy A. 13, Pleasant 10, Tabitha 6, and Bluford 4. Also in the household is Nancy Barber [nee Goad] age 72 born in Virginia.

Looking at this census Pleasant Hood has yet another birth year - circa 1840. The assumptions made by researchers is that Nancy must be Phoebe's mother. It is an assumption because the 1850 does not give relationships in households. Being under the same roof does not define a family group simply by age. By experience I know this assumption can sometimes be a slippery slope.

Jacob Hood married Phoebe Barber 17 November 1842 in Greenup County, Kentucky. The marriage record does not state if either the bride or groom might have been married prior to this union. Most Jacob Hood researchers state that Jacob Hood's first wife died prior to the 1842 marriage. She did not. Most Jacob Hood researchers simply say he disappears from records after the 1850 census entry. He did not.

Jacob Hood married 20 November 1829, Greenup County, Kentucky Joanna Lewis. On 3 April 1842 according to Greenup County Civil Court Orders [film 989385] Jacob divorced "Joan" Hood. He was then free to marry Phoebe.

By 1860 Pleasant is residing in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky with Dr. Hiram Ferguson and family. The census gives his age as 19 [birth 1840/41] and he is still utilizing the surname Hood. Analysis of the 1850 and 1860 census would place Pleasant's birth prior to the marriage of Phoebe Barber to Jacob Hood. Thus he was either illegitimate or Phoebe __ was married to a Barber prior to her marriage to Jacob Hood.

Continuing a review of the 1860 census Jacob Hood is now residing in Carter County, Kentucky with wife Mary and several Cooley children. Jacob Hood married Mary ___ Cooley 8 July 1860 in Carter County. To date this compiler has not found a divorce for Jacob and Phoebe. Phoebe does not appear in any 1860 census I have reviewed but reappears in 1870.

In 1865, the subject of this study has enlisted in the 14th Regiment mustering in at Louisa giving his age as 21 [birth now stated as 1844]. He continues to appear on muster rolls, tax lists, census, and directories as Pleasant Barber with no further mention in his records of the surname Hood.

The next step was to follow the trail of the other male minors in the Jacob Hood household from 1850.

The eldest minor was Hezekiah Hood but by 1860 he is listed as Hezekiah Barber, born about 1835 in Virginia. He is residing in the household of a William Barber just 2 years older and William's family. William Barber was also born in Virginia. Hezekiah migrated to Elizabeth Township, Lawrence County, Ohio by 1870 and later dies 5 June 1924 in Wellston, Jackson County, Ohio. From 1860 until his death he continues to use the surname Barber.

The youngest male child in 1850 is Bluford Hood born after the marriage of Phoebe Barber to Jacob Hood. In 1860 Bluford Hood is in the Andrew Hood household in Carter County, Kentucky. He enlisted at Louisa in 1863 in Company K of the 45th. As expected he is utilizing the Hood surname.

While I have not located Phoebe Barber in 1860, she was still living. In 1870 Phoebe is listed as infirm residing with Hezekiah in Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. She is 56 years old. Also in the household is a Joseph Hoode age 5 born in Kentucky. For those Barber/Hood researchers who may be scratching their heads and not locating this census it is because The Barber family is listed as Barker. Hezekiah is living next door to Bluford Hood. Thus in 1870 Phoebe is cited as Phoebe Barker.

Joseph Hood"e" born in 1865 was born five years after the marriage of Jacob Hood to Mary __ Coley. To date this compiler does not have any documentation for Phoebe from 1860 until her reappearance in 1870.

Phoebe continues to reside in Lawrence County, Ohio and by 1880 she is listed at Bluford Hood's as his mother, age 68, a widow with the surname Hood, born in Virginia and her parents born in Virginia.

Phoebe's death record gives no further clues about marriages. She died 7 June 1881 in Washington Township, Lawrence County, Ohio as Phoebe Barber . The register simply states that she was a "widow" at her death.

From the analysis we can safely assume that Phoebe was in Virginia in 1835 when Hezekiah was born. She did migrate to Greenup County, Kentucky about the same time that Joseph and Nancy Goad Barber did. Joseph was in Campbell County, Virginia in 1830 and in Greenup County, Kentucky by 1840.

In the 1830 Campbell County, Virginia there are females in the Joseph Barber household but none fit the age of Phoebe. If she is Joseph Barber's daughter she is not living in that household in 1830.

Joseph Barber does have a son named Pleasant Barber. This Pleasant was born about 1808 in Virginia and married Jane Crain according to researchers. {I find a marriage of a Pleasant to Irene Crane 20 Aug 1831 in Campbell County but have not located a marriage under Jane Craine.} This Pleasant is in Greenup and Boyd County and in 1870 is residing in Upper Township, Lawrence County, Ohio. This family unit ended up in Cass County, Missouri where they died.

Joseph and Nancy Goad Barber also have a son Reuben who married Frances Mary Crain. They named their first son Pleasant Barber. He was born 15 May 1827 in Virginia. Pleasant married 2 December 1851 in Greenup County, Kentucky to Jestine Betts. By 1880 Pleasant and Jestine are residing in Oak Hill, Jackson County, Ohio.

Joseph Barber appears to have died about 1844 when the Pleasant Barber, our subject was an infant/toddler. Joseph had no land holdings according to the Greenup County tax rolls. Researchers attribute four sons to Joseph: Pleasant, Reuben, Charles and Lewis along with 2 daughters. It is possible that there were other sons, one who may have married Phoebe of this sketch.

Until further evidence crosses my desk I will try not to assume more than the records indicate. Phoebe had at least one or possibly 2 [William] male issues under the name of Barber while residing in Virginia. After her marriage to Jacob Hood her children born prior to that marriage are in the census utilizing their step father's surname which was not an uncommon practice. As the minors reached adulthood they went back to using the surname Barber.

Our subject, Pleasant Barber married 9 November 1865 in Morgan County, Kentucky to Mary Ann Phillips. The family had six children and in later years lived on West Front Street in Ashland, KY.

Dear Ms.? Mr.? Mrs? Jblow@heavenknowswhere.com

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

"Dear Ms.? Mr.? Mrs? Jblow@heavenknowswhere.com,

It was lovely to receive another extensive e-mail from you with data on your family. I was especially delighted that you shared pictures of your great grandparents which were nicely identified.

I would love to catalog all your information in my collection. I am sure future generations will enjoy reading your stories about your family. Sadly I do not have proper source information to create a citation before filing your material without some reference points about you, the author.

It is certainly understandable that you are concerned about privacy issues. However in this day and age not only do physical telephone books carry your name and telephone but any number of on-line databases and maps track where we reside.

Let me assure you that when your descendants read your genealogical material they are not going to recognize your coded email address. The average person now has three and sometimes more e-mail addresses at any given time.

While I realize I am from an older generation, business classes still teach the elements of a good letter. E-mail is, after all, a letter. While the e-mail format generates a date, subject and each parties e-mail it is still up to us to use the elements of a good letter.

Understand I am not nosey nor a stalker, I am a genealogist who likes to be able to not only learn about your ancestors but to be able to archive and share the documented evidence for future generations.

It would be so nice to be able to address you by your proper name in our next correspondence. I worry that if you change service I will be unable to contact you to share newly discovered genealogical gems in the future.

You took a lot of time and effort to write to me and I wish to sincerely thank you for that. Please take credit, where credit is due for what you have written. I promise to give you credit as well.

Yours in Genealogy,

Teresa Martin Klaiber
Rush, Boyd County, KY 41168

Opening Doors - Eastern Kentucky Genealogy and Continued Education

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

I usually try for a clever title for my blog but just could not come up with an eye catcher that would convey my emotions.

As genealogists we are memory collectors. Sadly my mother has been struck with Alzheimers which steels those memories. I am her caregiver as well as the keeper of memories for both of us now. While I am on this journey with her my travel as well as research has been greatly curtailed.

Through the years patrons and clients alike have expressed gratitude for services I have provided which always left me with a warm fuzzy feeling. Realizing that many could not get to the area because of disabilities gave me drive to visit the hundreds of cemeteries to digitize every stone & to turn over every stick and stone for information they needed. But until I became "home bound" I truly did not realize how that gratitude translated from the client/patron eyes or how much new technological avenues would effect me emotionally. They are such a blessing.

I have discovered many avenues to pursue to keep me in the know and to keep up with the ever advancing world of technology in my beloved field of Genealogy. Avenues that would never have been available to any of us ten years ago.

Besides the obvious use of archive and library databases, Footnote, Ancestry, GenealogyBank, and Heritage Quest, doors are opening every day to gain new knowledge.

Genealogy bloggers are constantly reviewing new materials and sharing their knowledge with all of us. I use RSS feed to daily keep me abreast of my favorite blogs. RSS stands for "Rich Site Summery" which translates simply to notification of daily changes in any given web url. My RSS feeds come directly into my e-mail reader. For more information visit the RSS Primer.

I miss the comradery of other genealogists at state meetings and National conferences. But because of social networking I have been able to stay in touch with many I have met through the years via Face Book which has gained a huge genealogy network.

This week I have gotten the next best thing since I can't travel right now! Rootstech has streamed several sessions daily, at no cost for those of us at home. They also are providing a live Twitter feed which has left me smiling.

In the past several weeks I have attended several free - yes I said free - Webinars with different subjects. Everything from DNA to tweeking my own computer genealogy program. [Thank you for the wonderful talks Roots Magic!]

While conferences can be pricey with motel reservations, travel expenses and conference prices you cannot beat face to face contact. I honestly have gleaned more sitting at a round table during lunch than in some of the actual classes. You certainly can't beat the friendship. I love you all! BUT under certain circumstances I now realize other avenues can and should be available to the world at large.

Many genealogical conferences offer copies of the class after it is over. But now I am spoiled with live streams and see a future for them at conferences where you pay for a choice of conference sessions.

Maureen Taylor wrote an article about Online Education in The Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly's December 2010 issue. It was an exceedingly helpful reminder to me that being on a forced sabbatical does not mean that I can not continue to grow in my field.

Among her list were free videos that start for beginners and expand to professionals. FamilySearch and Ancestry's Learning Center are two places to begin and with video's there are no time restraints. They are just a click away.

I have always encouraged new researchers, given free consultations and shared documentation balancing it with the business and my personal genealogy. "Random Acts of Kindness" and "paying it forward" by complete strangers shows that humanity is not the ugly world we see on television news shows - thank goodness. These single acts have such power for those that would otherwise not be able to access materials.

A big example of "acts of kindness" is volunteering for indexing at FamilySearch. I sat with tears in my eyes when I found the Hungarian funeral card for my great great grandfather in Budapest listing my Amerian grandfather in bold print as his grandson. Thank you FamilySearch. Sadly I found it to late for my mother to comprehend its significance.

Genealogy has become not only my passion and occupation but now a distraction from the stress that fills the sadness in my life. During this "sabbatical" I am digitizing my personal collection, checking my citations and in some cases looking at family documentation I have not reviewed in many years. Like the cobblers son things were on a back burner while I helped others. Yes, we all need to clean up our own documentation and cite our sources!

Digitized materials can now be shared with each son and grandchild. This includes a medical history for my family. My legacy and my memories handed down so that those that follow will know my love of family past and present.

We never stop learning.

Happy Anniversary

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
February 2011

It is hard to believe that a year has transpired since I decided to start the Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog. Geneabloggers call it a bloggaversary. It has been a year of new discoveries and new friendships.

We celebrate many kinds of anniversaries in our world. Retailers usually offer sales to "celebrate" and romantics even celebrate the day they met.

I have another anniversary coming up in April. Forty three years of marriage with the most patient man in the world. He has supported my genealogical endeavors, held my hand during and after back surgery when I stupidly lifted the tombstone to see what was written on the other side, has moved file cabinets and the FLI library across 3 states, stood in cemeteries in the pouring rain while I got one last picture, and driven miles out of his way for courthouse research. When we reach that fifty year milestone it will be with a celebration.

I love to look at the Sunday paper and see the announcements of others anniversaries. You know that the smiling faces have ridden the wave of every day life with its ups and downs and are to quote my New York friend now "soul mates."

Among the relics in my house is a hammered silver pitcher and two goblets presented to my great grand parents, Stephen Simpson Halderman and wife Anna Catherine Gorath in 1923 by the Hempstead Academy of Medicine in honor of their 50th anniversary. The Halderman's were married 28 August 1873 at Berlin Cross Roads in Jackson County, Ohio and S. S. had been a past president of Hempstead. A copy of the flowery newspaper article accompanies the set. It is another bonus that a picture of the couple is also in the collection.

Besides local newspaper article concerning anniversaries, I find that religious newspapers can give very detailed information concerning anniversaries. I have written about John Andrew aka Johann Andreas Klaiber and wife Mary Ann McBrayer many times. They were married 1 November 1855 in Carter County, Kentucky.

After 63 years of marriage an article appeared in the West Virginia Methodist News published in Sutton, West Virginia concerning the couple. The article gives both of their birth dates, when they converted to the Methodist faith and other details of the family. Having had 10 children they also had 49 living grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren in 1919 [great genealogy tool]. {9 April 1919 edition WV Methodist News}

The article includes information on the couple's health including the fact that Mary Ann had a dislocated hip in 1917 and that John Andrew had a similar accident.

One of the most interesting paragraphs provided information on the home that stood on our farm along with a well known community minister:

"...Their home has always been the home of the Methodist preacher Rev. John Martin who so often visited their home in their young days, would retire to a room upstairs for prayer and study. He called this room the "prophets room" and by such it was known by their entire family and their intimate friends."

John Martin [no relation to this compiler] married many throughout the Boyd County community of Garner.

I am looking forward to sharing another year of bits and pieces from my office here in Eastern Kentucky with readers. It is always a thrill to hear from you as well. So as the sun rises over the cliffs I am raising one of my treasured goblets in a toast to all who write and share the history of our ancestors.