Background
Kirkland C. Barker was born September 8, 1819 in Schuyler, New York, the son of builder and contractor Mason Barker and his wife Elizabeth Ingham Barker.
Kirkland C. Barker was born September 8, 1819 in Schuyler, New York, the son of builder and contractor Mason Barker and his wife Elizabeth Ingham Barker.
Kirkland was educated in the local schools, at age 14 attended a manual labor school in Whitesboro, New York, where he traded his labor for an education.
After leaving school, he worked as a store clerk in Frankfort, New York and Utica, New New York At age 18, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio and worked in a warehouse. There, his ability at business was recognized by his employers, and he was frequently put in charge of ships bringing goods from New New York
Leaving the warehouse, Barker took a job as a travelling salesman for a tobacco company in Logansport, Indiana, but himself lived in Detroit.
Barker was determined to go into business for himself, and so established a partnership with other people in Utica, and built stores in Detroit and New York, and a factory in Jersey City, New Jersey. This new firm prospered.
Barker married in 1847 to the daughter of Gilbert Bedell of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The couple had three children.
Barker dabbled in public service, serving as an alderman of Detroit in 1863 and as mayor in 1864-1865.
He was also an avid sportsman, and was president of the Detroit Audubon Club. Barker was also the presiding officer of the Horse Association of America, and was elected Commodore of the Great Lakes Yacht Club. Barker had purchased the "Wedding Cake House," built for Samuel Lewis on East River Road.
On May 20, 1875, he was boating near his home, had an attack of apoplexy, and drowned.
