GEORGE BARRINGER. Farmers who have been elected to positions of trust
and honor arc not by any means few in America, but it is the exception that
the tiller of the soil continues to be such long after he has won success in
any sphere outside his regular calling. The allurements of city life in the
great majority of cases quickly overcome the inborn love of nature
unadorned, and the farmer is known by another name. George Barringer, of
Jonesboro, Illinois, is one of the few. After terms in township and county
offices he continued to plant, cultivate and reap, and to raise stock, until
he felt it time to retire from active agricultural pursuits, at which time
he located in Jonesboro and engaged in the real estate business, although he
still owns considerable farming land, which is now rented, in Union county.
Mr. Barringer was born on a farm in Union county, northeast of Anna, January
2, 1849, and is a son of Charles and Matilda (Hileman) Barringer, both
natives of this county. Charles Barringer was born September 29, 1825, and
for many years carried on agricultural pursuits, but after coming to
Jonesboro entered the mercantile field and was so engaged until about two
years prior to his death.
The education of George Barringer was secured in the district and town
schools, and later he entered a seminary here. He also went to Union Academy
and the Commercial School for Boys, and while at these institutions taught
district school for four or five years while being engaged in study during
the summer months. Giving up the profession of teaching, Mr. Barringer
entered the tin and stove business, in which he continued one or two years,
he having furnished the capital and his partner the tools, and during 1871
and 1872 held the' office of deputy assessor. Subsequently he became deputy
under Sheriffs Hileman and Nimmo, and in 1878 was elected sheriff of Union
county, serving in that office for a full term of two years. At that time
his health failed, and in 1880 he purchased a farm in Union county, on which
he continued to reside until 1883, then moved to Cape Girardeau county,
Missouri. In that state Mr. Barringer carried on farming on a tract situated
near the city of Jackson until the fall of 1891, when he purchased his
present property in Jonesboro, Union county. He now rents his land and
follows the real estate business, in which he has had considerable success.
He has served as justice of the peace and postmaster of Union Point while
living on the farm, and from 1894 until 1902 acted as county superintendent
of schools. During his incumbency of the latter office, he introduced the
eighth grade commencement exercises, issued certificates to those who passed
the examination and reported to the State Department the first high schools
reported from this county. Mr. Barringer served as marshal of Jonesboro
before he was of age, and even at that early time he displayed the same
conscientiousness to duty that has characterized his later terms of office.
Progressive in all matters, he has done much to advance this section, and he
is regarded as one of Union county's substantial, public-spirited men. His
fraternal connection is with the A. O. U. W., which he joined in Missouri,
and he also belongs to Jonesboro, Lodge, No. 111, A. P. & A. M.
Mr. Barringer's first marriage was to Miss Belle Byrd, of Jackson, Missouri,
who died August 16, 1891, leaving these children: Georgia Belle, who married
J. B. Colard, Jr., and died June 28, 1909; Byrd Polk, unmarried, who is in
the real estate business and owns a pocket and carom billiard hall at Cairo;
Matilda Hileman, who married J. F. Karraker, of Cypress, Illinois; and Mary,
who married N. R. Crooks and lives in Denver Colorado. Mr. Barringer was
married in 1892 to Miss Mary Chase, who was born in Jonesboro, daughter of
Charles S. and Ellen (Cruse) Chase, the former a well-known stone contractor
and builder, and four children have been born to this union, namely: Bessie,
Paul, Grace and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. Barringer and their children attend the
Methodist Episcopal church.
Extracted from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 602-603.
| Jackson | Williamson | |
| MO |
 |
Johnson |
| Alexander | Pulaski |
