James Asberry (or Alexander) Barber was the second child born to Francis ("Frank") Asberry Barber and Anne Emeline ("Emily") (Collinsworth) Barber. James was born on Tuesday, August 5, 1856 in the High Hill community of Neshoba County, Mississippi. There has been some confusion about James' middle name, as some have stated that it was Asberry, while some say it was Alexander, and others claim it was Andrew. We know that James' father's middle name was Asberry, James' brother and first son were both named Alexander and James' second son was named Andrew. Since we have written record of James' oldest daughter, Valeria, stating that it was Asberry, it can be assumed that that was his name.
In his late teens, probably in about 1875, James gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ and joined the Baptist Church at old Mt. Zion in Leake County. He was baptized by Elder Bates.
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On December 18, 1876, James A. Barber went to the Leake County, Mississippi courthouse with his future brother-in-law, J. Matt Rushing, and got a marriage license to marry Mary Lucinda ("Cindy") Rushing. James and Lucinda were married on Thursday, December 21rd at the home of her parents, Barnabus "Strickland" Rushing and Mary Baldwin (Gregory) Rushing in the Walnut Grove community. James was 20 years old and Lucinda was 15. Lucinda Rushing was born on Monday, October 7, 1861 near Walnut Grove in Leake County, Mississippi, and was named after her grandmother, Lucinda Gregory (wife of Ivey W. Gregory). (click here to see their marriage record)
Lucinda, like her father, was a school teacher when she was younger. She taught at a small school with her father in Leake County, Mississippi. The school was established in 1873, originally named Rushing School but it was later changed to Rose Bud School. Lucinda's father, B.S. Rushing, was the school's first teacher.
James and Lucinda's first child, Alexander Francis Barber, was born in 1877 in Walnut Grove, Mississippi. Then on May 17, 1878, baby Ira F. Barber was born, and less than two years later, on March 9, 1880, James "Andrew" Barber was born. The year 1880 was a difficult one for the Barber family, because in August of that year they lost both of their oldest boys. Three year old Alexander died of croup, and two year old Ira died of enteritus, according to the 1880 Mississippi Mortality Schedule. (There is some question, however, as to whether the Ira Barber listed was James & Lucinda's Ira because he was listed as being one year old in 1880, and the family records show that Ira died on Aug. 19, 1879).
Clifford Heddins, one of James and Lucinda's grandchildren, faintly recalled an incident that had been told him years before about one of his grandmothers and her baby. He thought it was about his grandmother Lucinda Barber, but it could have been about his other grandmother, Julia Heddins. He recalled being told about the young mother riding side-saddled on a horse along a creek, holding her little baby. Out of nowhere came a white dove which descended upon the baby for a moment and then flew off. Within a few days the baby was dead, and in retrospect, the lady (presumably Lucinda) realized the incident with the dove was probably an omen from God, preparing her for the loss of her baby. The Lord no doubt gave James and Lucinda grace to make it through the difficult times of losing children.
On Sept. 12, 1882, Lucinda gave birth to her and James' fourth child whom they named Ada "Valeria" Barber. About four years later Nellie Estelle was born on July 20, 1886 at their home in Walnut Grove. Then less than three years later Mary "Ellen" was born on April 21, 1889, and then after about two and a half years, on Nov. 13, 1891, baby Hettie Celestia was born.
James A. Barber was a farmer in Leake County for several years. In about 1892, James and his family moved to Van Zandt County, Texas with a large group of other relatives via train. The records at the Van Zandt County courthouse in Canton show that on November 24, 1892 James bought 76 acres of land from Mr. M. J. Strickland for $450.00, to be paid over a period of five years at 10% yearly interest. James paid $150.00 cash and made payments every year until 1897. The land was located near Edgewood, about six miles northeast of the town of Canton, Texas, on the Canton and Allen Blair Roads, the west boundary being Willow Creek in the Ephraim Vansickle land survey. The deed record for the land was revised on October 10, 1893, showing that James was buying 79 2/3 acres of land from Mr. Strickland for $450.00, to be paid off in December of 1897.
Several other related families had moved to Van Zandt County from Leake County, Mississippi, including James' younger brother, Isaiah M. Barber and his family, and Lucinda's parents, along with several of their grown children. Besides the Barbers and Rushings, other related families who settled in the area were the Lewis, Estes, Henry, Adams, Newburn and Hooks families.
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The Van Zandt County tax records showed that in 1893 the only taxable possesion that James and his family owned was their land, but by 1894 they owned one horse valued at $50.00, eight head of cattle valued at $80.00, and a wagon valued at $25.00.
On July 30, 1894, baby Bertha Emeline Barber was born to James and Lucinda, their first Texan child. Next came Fermon Marlon Barber, born on July 23, 1896, and lastly Roy Burdette Barber was born on Oct. 15, 1898.
In about mid-February of the year 1900, James and his family were out in the field sewing oats. While they were working, a cold norther blew in, resulting in James coming down with pneumonia. After fighting it for nearly two weeks, he began to get better, but one cold rainy day James went out in the weather to visit his son-in-law, Billy Thomas, and that lead to a relapse. James died at the young age of 43 on Friday, March 2, 1900. The funeral was conducted by Bro. Gariett and James' body was laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery in Edgewood, Van Zandt County, Texas. His obituary stated that he had "died as he had lived, a faithful and consistent Christian." (click here to see his obituary)
James died without leaving a will, so Lucinda had to apply to be appointed the legal guardian of the ten children and of James' estate. The probate records show that at his death, James had a life insurance policy of $1000.00 from the National Aid Insurance Company, which Lucinda collected after James' death.
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Since early childhood, Lucinda suffered with Asthma. Throughout her life, it impaired her greatly, preventing her from doing much strenuous labor. Oftentimes one or more of her daughters would have to stay home from school to care for her. Lucinda used a little wiskey from time to time to help alleviate her breathing problems, and on one occasion Percy and Clifford Heddins, two of her grandsons, were caught sneaking a sip from her bottle and were punished for it! Lucinda also smoked some sort of herb in a pipe to help her breath.
Roma Heddins, one of James and Lucinda's grandchildren recalled an incident that Lucinda had told him. Sometime in the early 1900's someone showed up in the Crooked Creek community, claiming he had a deed or Spanish grant to the whole E. Vansickle survey. All the women in that area were shook up about it, including Lucinda, fearing they might lose their homes. Roma said that after the man left Lucinda's house he stopped at Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gilliam's. The men were all gone out to work in the fields, so when this man confronted Mrs. Gilliam with his story, she listened and told him she did not know what to tell him, but if he wanted to, he could wait until Fred got home, but he might shoot him! The man left quickly and was never heard from again!
Roma & Cifford Heddins both recalled hearing about a drunken man who was riding horseback down the road in front of the Barber's homeplace. In front of the Barber's property, in the middle of the road was a big oak tree, and when the drunken rider passed by, he hit the tree or one of the large branches, giving him a fatal blow to the head. The way Roma put it, he "bursted his brains out on that tree." Lucinda and her family tried to care for him, and apparently wound up burying him.
Chloe (Heddins) Matthews, one of James and Lucinda's granddaughters, recalled a strange incident that her mother, Ellen (Barber) Heddins, told her about. The year was 1904 or 1905, and it was a dark, stormy night. Ellen was sleeping in the bedroom just off the large fireplace room in the old Barber homeplace, when in the lightning strikes she saw the figure of a person standing in the open bedroom doorway. During three lightning strikes she saw this "angel" and by the fourth strike he was gone. The next morning Ellen told her mother about what she saw. Lucinda asked her if she had talked to the angel, but Ellen replied that she hadn't. Lucinda suggested that if she had, perhaps he would have told her why he was there. About two weeks later, one of Ellen's nephews, either Willie or Charlie Barber, one of Andrew's baby boys, suddenly died. Lucinda and Ellen surmised that perhaps the death angel had come a few days earlier to warn them of the baby's impending passing.
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According to the records at the Van Zandt County Courthouse, on July 7, 1919 Lucinda leased her 183 acres of land for oil to the Van Zandt Oil and Gas Association. She received a total of $45.50 for a five year's lease. Then again in November of 1921 she again leased 103.36 acres for oil.
Lucinda never remarried, and when the children moved away from home she began moving from place to place, staying with her grown children. She was living at Fermon and Mary Barber's place at the time of her death. Lucinda died over 26 years after James' death at the age of 65 on Thursday, October 28, 1926 and was buried next to James at Oak Hill Cemetery in Edgewood, Texas. James and Lucinda had both been committed Christians most of their lives and raised their children in the Christian faith.
The Barber and Rushing families have had a rich Christian heritage
and from among their descendants have emerged many fine preachers, deacons, Sunday school
teachers, public school teachers, and professionals. James and Lucinda's faithfulness to
the Lord played an important role in molding the lives of their many descendants, leaving
them a tremendous legacy, a spiritual destiny which leads to everlasting life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Most certainly those who walk in the footsteps of our Lord, as did
many of our forefathers, will be reunited one day and we will meet those who have gone
before us face to face.
This biography was compiled and written by Roland J. Heddins, copyright 2001. As further details are discovered, this biography will be updated. If you have any details to add or correct, please email me. No part of this biography may be published (in print or on the internet) without written permission. Thank you. -RJH
