Kirkland Charles Barker | |
---|---|
Mayor of Detroit | |
In office 1864–1865 | |
Preceded by | William C. Duncan |
Succeeded by | Merrill I. Mills |
Personal details | |
Born | Schuyler, New York | September 8, 1819
Died | May 20, 1875 Grosse Ile, Michigan | (aged 55)
Kirkland Charles Barker (September 8, 1819 – May 20, 1875) was mayor of Detroit, Michigan, and established the tobacco firm of KC Barker & Company.
Kirkland C. Barker was born September 8, 1819, in Schuyler, New York, the son of builder and contractor Mason Barker [1] and his wife Elizabeth Ingham Barker. [2] Barker 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. [2] After leaving school, he worked as a store clerk in Frankfort, New York, and Utica, New York. At age 18, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and worked in a warehouse. [1] There, his ability at business was recognized by his employers, and he was frequently put in charge of ships bringing goods from New York. [1]
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. [1] This partnership was not successful, so Barker started anew by himself, opening KC Barker & Company (later the American Eagle Tobacco Company) in Detroit. This new firm prospered. [1]
Barker married in 1847 to the daughter of Gilbert Bedell of Ann Arbor, Michigan; the couple had three children. [1]
Barker dabbled in public service, serving as an alderman of Detroit in 1863 and as mayor in 1864–1865. [1] He was also an avid sportsman, and was president of the Detroit Audubon Club. [3] His love of the outdoors led to a close friendship with George Armstrong Custer. [3] Barker was also the presiding officer of the Horse Association of America, and was elected Commodore of the Great Lakes Yacht Club. [2]
During his later years, Barker took his brother, J. I. Barker, and son-in-law, Charles B. Hull, into his tobacco firm, and spent more time at his home on Grosse Ile, Michigan. [2] Barker had purchased the "Wedding Cake House," built for Samuel Lewis on East River Road. [4]
On May 20, 1875, he was boating near his home, had an attack of apoplexy, and drowned. [1]