BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 570-571.

REV. LEWIS WILLIAM BARR, pastor of the First Presbyterian church
of Bellaire, is a native of Ohio county, born at West Liberty,
January 15, 1857, the son of John M. and Jane (Durbin) Barr. His
father was born near West Alexander, Penn., the only son of Samuel
and Jane (McMurray) Barr, the former of whom was a native of
LaGrange, Ireland, and came to America at the age of twenty-four
years. These grandparents died, she in 1865 and he in 1871, at the
age of ninety-three years. John M. Barr, a farmer by occupation,
is now residing near Potomac, Ohio county, but his wife died in
1870. Of their five children, the fourth born was the subject of
this sketch. He received his early education in the district
school near his farm home, and then in the fall of 1876 entered
the State Normal school at West Liberty, where he was graduated
in June, 1877. He taught school in Ohio county during the
following three winters, and then entered Waynesburgh college,
of Greene county, Penn., where he was graduated bachelor of
arts in June, 1881. In the fall of the same year he began a
three years' course in theology at the Western Theological
seminary at Allegheny City, which was completed in April, 1884.
In the meantime, during the summer of 1882, he had been a member
of the faculty of Shield's Normal academy at Punxsutawney, Penn.,
being professor of languages, astronomy, higher mathematics and
book-keeping, and on April 25, 1883, he had been licensed to preach
by the presbytery of Washington. During the last year of his
theological studies he was the pastoral supply at New Bethlehem
and Leatherwood churches, of Clarion county, Penn., and on April
24, 1884, he was ordained and installed pastor of those two
churches. He remained there until October 1, 1886, when he accepted
a call to his present charge. Here he has labored zealously in the
cause, and has displayed much ability as a pulpit orator. In the
pulpit he selects such subjects as have present interest, and
treats them in a brilliant manner. On April 17, 1889, Mr. Barr
was married to Margaret B., daughter of William Harvey and Ellen
(White) Hicks, of Moundsville. Her mother died when Mrs. Barr
was but five years old, and she was brought up by her grandparents,
Zachariah G. and Margaret White, and of their children, only
two others of the family survive: John Fleming White, a graduate
of Harvard college, and chemist of the Buffalo (N. Y.) Chemical
works, and Margaret, wife of Rev. James Clayton Garver, pastor of
the Presbyterian church at West Liberty, W. Va. March 1, 1890, Rev.
Barr was unanimously chosen pastor of the First Presbyterian church,
Bellaire, Ohio, where he is given a large field of usefulness.