Thomas D. Barr
Practically all of the years of Thomas D. Barr's life have been spent in faithful service to the people, not as a man in public office, alone, but as a teacher of their children, and although his service in his various public positions is recognized and appreciated it is as a teacher that he is best known and respected. He taught in the schools of Indiana for twenty years, accomplishing much for the cause of education and although his time is now filled with the duties of his office as deputy county auditor of Grant County, Indiana, he is still keenly interested in the cause of education.
Thomas D. Barr is a descendant of one of the very first settlers in Grant County, being a great-grandson of Thomas Dean, who settled in Grant County, in Jefferson Township, at a very early day. He was also one of the first school teachers in this section and in 1860 was auditor of Grant County. Thomas D. Barr is the son of John L. and Elizabeth (Dean) Barr, his father being a native of Pennsylvania and his mother having been born in Grant County, Indiana. John L. Barr was a soldier throughout the Civil war, being a member of the First Volunteer Infantry of Iowa. After the war he practiced law in Missouri and there he died when his son was quite young.
Thomas D. Barr was born in Saint Clair County, Missouri, on the 18th of October, 1870, being one of two children born to his parents and he is now the only living child. In 1874 he returned to Grant County with his mother and two years later in 1876 she died, leaving him an orphan of just six years of age. Although deprived of his parents he received a good education. He first attended the public schools of the section and then entered Fairmount Academy. He later attended the Indiana State Normal College at Terre Haute and then completed his education with a business course at the Indianapolis Business College.
Mr. Barr began life as a teacher, first teaching in Grant County, in Monroe, Van Buren and Liberty Township. He also taught in other parts of the State. For a time he taught in Richsquare and Lewisville, in Henry County, Indiana. He was principal of the Van Buren, Indiana high school and taught in both the Fairmount Academy and the high schools in Fairmount.
Always keenly interested in public matters and in political questions, he took an active part in such affairs but it was not until 1906 that he accepted a public office. At this time he was principal of the high school in Van Buren and he was appointed deputy sheriff, serving in the office over a year. He resigned this office to enter the government service as a meat inspector and in 1907 resigned from this position to accept that of deputy clerk. His love for his old profession called him back once more to accept a position as teacher in the Fairmount Academy. From this school he went to the high school of Fairmount but he resigned from its teaching staff in 1911 to accept the office of deputy auditor of Grant County. He is a man full of energy and industry and has made a most efficient public official. During his vacation he has worked on the newspapers of Marion, writing the advertisements.
Both Mr. Barr and his wife are members of the Friends Church, his wife being very prominent in this church. In politics Mr. Barr is a member of the Republican party and in fraternal affairs he belongs to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
Mr. Barr was married in November, 1893, to Miss Daisy Douglas Brushwiller, who was born in Jonesboro, Grant County, Indiana. Mrs. Barr is a grand-daughter of George Douglas, who was one of the early pioneers of Grant County and for seventy years was a minister of the Methodist Church in Grant County. Mrs. Barr is a woman of rare intellectual attainments and is the pastor of the Friends Church in Muncie, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Barr have one son, Raymond Barr, who was born December 18, 1895, and is now in high school.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.