Charles Reed Barker

CHARLES REED BARKER Charles Reed Barker, F.G.S.P., historian and genealogist, died on Saturday, 18 February 1961, in Delaware County Memorial Hospital, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, in his eighty-sixth year. Interment was in West Laurel Hill Cemetery. A bachelor, Mr. Barker is survived by a sister, Mrs. Mabel Carder of Orlando, Florida, and a cousin, Mr. Richard H. Barker of Moylan, Pennsylvania. Mr. Barker was born 10 September 1875 in Philadelphia, the son of Charles Augustus Barker (born 22 July 1841 in Quincy, Massachusetts; died 30 April 1920 in Florida), and his wife Deborah Ann Heckman (born in Philadelphia 20 August 1840; died 20 October 1888 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania). He was a direct descendant of Richard Barker, one of the earliest settlers of Andover, Massachusetts. Mr. Barker attended the Ardmore, Lower Merion Township public schools, and went on to Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia where he studied engineering. His interest in historical and genealogical research soon led him to abandon engineering, and for the rest of his long life he devoted his energies to the profession of history and genealogy. As a young man he started out as assistant to the late internationally known genealogist, Alfred Rudolph Justice, travelling about the country for Mr. Justice, visiting court houses and historical societies in search of answers to the many queries which found their way to Mr. Justice's desk. In 1904 Mr. Barker became a member of the Montgomery County Historical Society at Norristown, and in 1905 of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. One of the foremost interests which he developed was the history of Lower Merion Township, to the study of which he devoted many years. Between 1926 and 1934 he published five articles relating to the area in The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. From 1941 through 1958 numerous articles and compilations of source material he had collected relating to the area appeared in the Bulletin of the Historical Society of Montgomery County. In 1943 he became a Life Member of the Genealogical Soeiety, having been an annual member since 1926, and became editor of the Bulletin of the Montgomery County Historical Society. In 1947 he was made an Honorary Member of that Society in appreciation of his editorial work, and in 1950 was elected a Fellow of the Genealogical Society for his contribution to scholarly genealogical work through his keen analysis of records, and exactitude in the solution of genealogical or historical problems. As Genealogist of the Welcome Soci116 Pitfalls in Genealogy's Path 117 ety of Pennsylvania for many years, his able service will long be remembered with gratitude. Perhaps his most important work is the manuscript "A Register of Burying Grounds of Philadelphia, Pa.," which this Society would like to publish if a sufficient number of subscriptions are forthcoming. This record of some 572 pages Mr. Barker began assembling in 1942 from deeds, ordinances, archives, Board of Health records and newspaper accounts. His comment, upon learning of the proposed publication of the work was, "It is good to know that the labor of putting it together has achieved its purpose—that of being an aid to all investigators." An almost weekly visitor to the Genealogical Society from 1905 until late in 1960 when his health began to fail, Mr. Barker's shy, quiet presence was a familiar sight to all habitues of the Society. His generosity and warm helpfulness, the breadth of his knowledge, all commanded the respect and deep personal regard of his colleagues and associates. The example he set is one that all genealogists and historians may well follow. The ensuing article, prepared by him at least thirty years ago, is just as useful today as it was when he first wrote it.* PITFALLS IN GENEALOGY'S PATH BY CHARLES R. BARKER, F.G.S.P. Almost every uninitiated person is quite sure that there are two things he knows about genealogy. The first of these is that he is descended from one of three brothers who, having made the voyage to America amicably together, separated almost as soon as their ship docked, and all ultimately settled in different colonies of North America. The second is that the business of genealogy must be a very simple matter. To attempt to reply to the first of these fallacies would be like trying to controvert a religious belief, so firmly is it grounded in every state in the Union. Indeed, it has been suggested that it has a theological foundation, and that the "three brothers" are but the three sons of Noah, who, having of necessity taken passage together, afterwards separated, to people three different quarters of the globe. So it will be the purpose of this paper to submit evidence tending to disprove the second proposition; namely, that the business of genealogy is a very simple matter. • The Editors are indebted to Miss Helen Noble Worst for assembling the biographical details of Mr. Barku's