Josiah Barber

Josiah Barber (1771 – 10 Dec 1842) was the first mayor of Ohio City, Ohio.[1] He was elected in 1836.

Early years

Barber was the son of Captain Stephen and Alice (Cass) Barber.[2]

Development in Ohio

In 1809, Barber received a portion of the last division of Western Reserve lands along with his father-in-law Samuel Lord and his brother-in-law Richard Lord. They received land along the western border of the Cuyahoga River to the lake. They sold the land with Lord & Barber Realty Co. He constructed the first brick house in Cleveland at Pearl (W. 25th) and Franklin.[3] In 1840, he and his partners set aside a portion of land for an open-air market that became the West Side Market. Then, in 1834 he was among the people who incorporated the Cuyahoga Steam Furnace Company. [4]

Politics

Barber was appointed as a circuit judge in 1834 and then became the first elected mayor of Ohio City. He was the vice-president of the Cuyahoga County Colonization Society and he favored gradual abolition of slavery and colonization of blacks to either Africa or South America.[4]

Personal life

Barber married two times. First, he married Abigail Gilbert and they had a daughter, Abigail G. Later, he married Sophia Lord and they had four children: Epiphras, Harriet, Sophia L., and Jerusha. Barber died in Cleveland.[4]

References
  1. "Josiah Barber". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Retrieved on 2009-10-24.
  2. "Ohio City". Ohio City. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  3. Dubelko, Jim. "Building the first Urban Community on the West Bank of the Cuyahoga River". Cleveland Historical. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  4. "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History". Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by
None		 Mayor of Ohio City
1836		 Succeeded by
Francis A. Burrows


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