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1907 Past and Present Biographies
Henry BarclayHenry Barclay emigrated to America on the American ship Siddons, in March, 1845. He located in New York city with his parents, and there his mother’s death occurred in 1848. He engaged in the dry-goods business in New York city for fifty years and then came to Jefferson in April, 1905. His long continuance in this line indicates his faithful and efficient service and that he possessed the entire trust and confidence of his employers. When the Civil war broke out Mr. Barclay demonstrated his loyalty to his adopted country in no uncertain manner. He organized and served as captain of Company K, Twelfth Regiment of New York National Guard, being called out in 1862 for three months. The regiment was sent to Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, and while there was attacked by the enemy, the whole garrison surrendering after a three days’ fight. In October, 1862, they were exchanged as prisoners of war. The common council gave the officers of the Twelfth Regiment a reception upon their return to New York. In 1863, at the time of Lee’s invasion of the north, the regiment was again called out, but arrived too late for the battle of Gettysburg. Mr. Barclay afterward volunteered for service in the Twenty-fifth New York Cavalry, acting as first sergeant of Troop L. He then went to Winchester, Virginia, and while there was under command of General George M. Custer. Mr. Barclay took part in the following engagements, Front Royal, Virginia, September 24, 1864; Newtown, where he was injured internally; Madison Courthouse, Virginia; Mount Jackson and Waynesboro. He was mustered out of service June 10, 1865, at Winchester, Virginia, having made a distinguished record as a soldier, for he was ever brave and loyal in the discharge of his duty and faltered in no task that was assigned him, whether it called him to the firing line or to the lonely picket line. The United States realizes that it owes a debt of gratitude to these soldiers of the Civil war that it can never repay, and this feeling grows stronger as the country grows ever greater and more powerful. After the close of hostilities Mr. Barclay returned to New York and took up his former occupation in the dry-goods business. Our subject was twice married. He first wedded Margaret Nightingale, who was born in New York and who became the mother of nine children, as follows: John N., James, Margaret, Henry L., Sarah H., William N., Annie Jane, Samuel Corbett Custer and Mary Lane. For his second wife Mr. Barclay chose Miss Cecilia Corell, a daughter of John and Louisa A. (Dykers) Corell, the former a French Huguenot, born in Alsace-Lorraine, and the latter a native of St. Eustatius. Mrs. Barclay’s grandfather was governor of St. Eustatius for a time, while her father was a chocolate manufacturer of New York city, later removing to Baltimore, where he passed away July 2, 1895. Her mother passed away at Roslyn, Long Island, February 2, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Barclay are the parents of one son Cecil Dykers Barclay, born August 31, 1878, who served for six months in the Spanish American war as a member of the Twenty second Regiment. He was married at Des Moines, Iowa, on January 2, 1906, to Miss Nellie G. Stevenson and is now a prominent agriculturist living in Jefferson. He has one child, Helen Louisa, born October 8, 1906. In his religious views Mr. Barclay is a member of the Presbyterian church and fraternally is connected with the Royal Arcanum. He is a member of the Grand Army post, No. 23, at Jefferson, and thus maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades. Mrs. Barclay is a member of the Relief Corps, and both she and her husband have the warm esteem of the people of this community by reason of their sterling traits of character and of the gracious hospitality which they extend to friends and neighbors. |
Transcribed from "Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa Together With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Prominent and Leading Citizens and Illustrious Dead," by E. B. Stillman assisted by an Advisory Board consisting of Paul E. Stillman, Gillum S. Toliver, Benjamin F. Osborn, Mahlon Head, P. A. Smith and Lee B. Kinsey, Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907.  Site Terms, Conditions & Disclaimer |