Stephen Barber

History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

STEPHEN BARBER.

Mr. Barber is of English descent, and was born in Lower Nazareth township, Northampton Co., on the 1^st of March, 1813. Having when but a lad been left fatherless, he found a home with a Mrs. Brown, a friend of his parents, with whom his youth was spent on a farm in the same township. On reaching a suitable age he repaired to Bethlehem and learned the trade of a carriage-builder, having previously acquired a common English education. Three years later he removed to New York State to prefect himself in his trade, and eventually settled in Fogelsville, where carriage-building was continued for a brief time.

Mr. Barber was married on the 9^th of January, 1838, to Miss Abigail Kuhns, daughter of John and Mary Kuhns, of Lynn township, Lehigh Co., to whom was born one son, Allen F., on the 15^th of February, 1839. He married Henrietta, daughter of Rev. William Minig, whose children are Harvey S., born March 6, 1862; John William, deceased; Alice A., whose birth occurred Jan. 6, 1865; and Allen E., born March 15, 1867. Allen F., was associated with his father in business until his death, which occurred April 24, 1874.

In 1838, Mr. Barber made Allentown his residence, where his trade was followed for five tears, after which he engaged in the sale of coach trimmings and hardware, dealing largely in various iron materials. His business prospered, the demand for his wares being so great as to make importation a matter not only of advantage by necessity. He this became the first importer of iron in the city. He took into partnership Messrs. Joseph and Mark Young, the former of whom now conducts the business. Mr. Barber was in politics a Republican, but neither a strong partisan nor an active politician, choosing eligible men for office irrespective of party. He was a public-spirited citizen, and actively interested in matters pertaining to the advancement of the city of Allentown and her educational and municipal interests. In religion he was a member of Zion’s Reformed Church, as was also his wife. Mr. Barber visited Europe both for pleasure and business, having intimate relations with the Sheffield cutlers, who bestowed upon him many polite attentions. He repaired to the South in search of health in 1858, and survived his return but two years. His death occurred March 7, 1860.

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History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Alfred Mathews and Austin N. Hungerford

J. B. Lippincott & Co., Pennsylvania. 1884

Transcribed by Annette Bame Peebles

The Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Biographies Project – http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~arkbios/Lehigh/index.html.

Date of Transcription: 12 June 2007

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