December 25, 1860, Mr. Barber married Miss Martha, daughter of Henry Weldon of Calhoun county. To them have been born four children. The first Ella, died at the age of two years; Ada Adella, born in Calhoun county, is the wife of W. L. Clark, editor and publisher of the Ingham County Democrat; Maud, born in Ingham county, is a successful teacher, she having been employed as principal for several years in the Townsend Street school in the City of Lansing; Mable, is the wife of F. H. Glass, who resides in Alma, Michigan.

Mr. Barber's school advantages were those common to young men of his time, supplemented by a few terms at Olivet College. At the age of nineteen years he went out from the paternal home to grapple with the affairs of life and win for himself a name and place. Entering a general store in the village of Springport, he remained three years, receiving a salary of eighteen dollars per month. This he saved and later invested it in land, which proved to be the nucleus to a comfortable competence in later years. Having an eye to the 'main chance' and a tact for business, shapened somewhat by his experience in trade, he bought and sold, traded and dealt until a few years later he found himself the happy possessor of the the well-known Barber home, consisting of the hundred and sixty acres of choice tillable land, beautifully located within the corporate limits of the City of Mason.

Independent of his farming operations, Mr. Barber has figured conspicuously as a dealer and feeder of live stock and particularly of sheep, a department in which he has met with profitable and gratifying success, as he has been one of the largest dealers in this locality for a number of years, making a specialty in the feeding of lambs for Eastern markets.

Being a natural lover of blooded stock, his successful farming operations, in which he has acquired a goodly competence has enabled him to devote considerable time to the breeding and raising of thoroughbred horses an enterprise which has not only been profitable, but which has given to Ingham county a reputation in this particular line which is almost national. In 1884 Mr. Barber purchased in Kentucky the trotting thoroughbred stallion, Greebacks, then two years old. This horse later made a record of 2:23¼ and had proven to be one of the successful sires of racing, speed and high grade driving horses ever owned in the State. His produce has gone at high prices to nearly every state in the Union, while others have gone to England, Germany and Austria. The quality of this horse has produced a marked effect on the stock interests of this section, making for the City of Mason a name and fame for good horses enjoyed by few cities. The result has been that hundreds of thousands of dollars have been turned into the coffers of the local horse breeders. Mr. Barber developed the Greenceps, 2:15¼. He also raised Colored Girl, 2:25¼; Mary Orr, 2:09¼ and Sarah Green 2:19¼, for all of which he realized good figures.

Mr. Barber has held many positions of trust and responsibility and always to the entire satisfaction of his friends. In politics he is a conservative Democrat, and has the distinguished record of having served his ward as Supervisor almost continuously for the past twenty-two years, and as chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 1902 and 1903, a compliment few men have to their credit in the county.

He is at present and has been for several years past, President and Treasurer of the Ingham County Mutual Fire Insurance, Co., one of the most successful organizations of its kind in the State.

He is also Treasurer of the State Association of Supervisors, and as the Chairman of the Building Committee of the new court house, he has preformed the arduous and perplexing duties of that position to the utmost satisfaction of all parties concerned. Indeed more than to any other man the public is indebted to A. I. Barber for putting into operation the influences that have resulted (against seemingly overwhelming odds) in the erection of the beautiful new court house at Mason, the pride of the taxpayers and a monument to their thrift and enterprise.

Mr. Barber enjoys the distinction of being one of a few men who have left upon the community the impress of their individuality and unto such men Ingham county owes its prosperity.

Taken from:
"Past and Present of the City of Lansing and Ingham County, Michigan", by Albert E. Cowles.
Published by The Michigan Historical Publishing Association Lansing, MICH., 1905.
Pages 139 - 141

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Sondra Higbee