William Henry Barker
William Barker, North Niobrara Rancher, Dies
William H. Barker, 75, died at the Lusk Hospital on Thursday, Dec. 9, after being in failing health for some time. He was brought to the home of Mrs. Ida Peterson last August, where he was cared for until a couple of days before his death, when he was taken to the hospital.
Funeral services were conducted from the Peet Chapel on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 2:00 p.m., with Rev. Mann Flint officiating.
The songs "Pass Me Not" and "Rock of Ages" were sung by a quartet composed of Edna DeCastro, Neoma Taylor, Donley Unruh and Rex Yocum, with Mrs. J.P. Watson as accompanist on the organ.
The honorary bearers were Ethan Hogg, Christ Ruffing, Oscar Jones and Billy Smith, and the active ones were Roscoe Ross, Ray DeGering, Paul McDaniels, Frank Johnson, Walter Swope and Bob Dixon.
Interment was made in the Lusk Cemetery.
Mr. Barker was the last survivor of an old American family.
He was the son of W.H. and Louisa Barker, and was born in Onondago valley, near Syracuse, New York, on the family homestead, Nov. 14, 1873.
A brother, Judge S. L. Barker, and a sister, Eva, preceded him in death and neither one left any descendants.
When the deceased was ten years of age his family moved west to Chanute, Kansas, and later to St. Louis, where Mr. Barker worked as a brakeman on the railroad for a while and then came further west where he took up life as a cowboy, working on various ranches in Colorado and Utah.
In 1911 he came to Wyoming and settled on Lance Creek, near what is known as the Tim DeVeney place, where he engaged in the raising of livestock and was also postmaster of the old Warren postoffice.
Later Mr. Barker took up a homestead on Spring Creek, 25 miles north of Lance Creek oil fields, where he continued the ranching business for several years and later sold out to O'Shea and Hogan.
His ancestors came to the United States from England prior to 1752 and were among those who fought for independence in the Revolutionary War.
The Barker family were great builders, and his paternal grandfather was one of the contractors in the building of the Erie Canal.
Mr. Barker was a great lover of outdoor life and was known among his friends for his honesty, truthfulness and loyalty.