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- HON. ANDREW BARLASS, a prominent
- and influential farmer, residing on section 36, Harmony Township,
is numbered among the pioneer settlers of Rock County, of which
he has been a resident since 1842. He was born in the parish
of Kinross, near Loch Leven, Scotland, on the 30th day of September,
1822, and his parents, David and Mary (MARSHALL) BARLASS, were
also natives of that country. His father was born in the year
1802, and remained a resident of Scotland until his death, which
occurred in 1830. He was a
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- farmer by occupation and wedded Mary MARSHALL, who was born
Jan. 14, 1800. They were the parents of four children - Andrew,
of this sketch; Thomas, who is living in Bradford township; Helen,
widow of Robert BROWN, who died Aug. 7, 1861, is living in Harmony
township; and David, the youngest, is also a resident of the
same township. In 1844, the mother, accompanied by two children,
came to America, making her home with our subject until her death,
which occurred Jan. 14, 1875.
- Andrew BARLASS received a common school education in his
native land, being for a time a
- pupil of a nephew of Robert Burns, Scotland's most noted
poet. He was reared to farm life, but the monotony and quiet
attendant upon agricultural pursuits was wearisome to him, who
full of life and ambition felt restrained by the narrow limits
of his home, and at an early age he started out with the determination
to make his future home in the new world. On the 25th day of
July, 1842, a sailing vessel left the port of Glasgow for America
and upon its deck was Andrew Barlass. Landing at New York on
the 9th day of September, following, he then went up the beautiful
Hudson to Albany, whence he proceeded to Buffalo, going by way
of the Erie canal. At that city, he embarked on the lake steamer,
"Bunker Hill," which bore him to Chicago, where he
secured a team and continued his travels to Janesville, which
he reached on the 20th day of October. The succeeding two years
he engaged in farming for an uncle, when in 1844, he purchased
eighty acres of land on section 36, Harmony Township, comprising
a part of his present farm. In the meantime his mother had come
to America, and after his purchase continued to keep house for
our subject until his marriage.
- Mr. BARLASS was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with
Miss Margaret CLINK, a
- daughter of Hugh CLINK, and to them were born four children
- Margaret, born Dec. 4, 1847, is the wife of David CLARK, a
resident of Harmony; Mary, who was born May 1, 1849, wedded Robert
CLARK, whose home is also in Harmony Township; Helen, born Sept.
7, 1850, became the wife of David DUNCAN, a practicing physician
of Chicago; David, who was born Sept. 11, 1851, and is now living
in Hastings, Neb., is serving his third term as sheriff of Adams
County, that State.
- In 1851, the death of the mother occurred. Ten years elapsed
and Mr. BARLASS was again
- married, Margaret G. BEVERIDGE becoming his wife on the 18th
day of June, 1861. The lady is a daughter of James and Christina
(WHITE) BEVERIDGE, and their union has been blessed with five
children - Agnes May, born May 6, 1872; Andrew James, born Aug.
8, 1875; Christian, born March 11, 1878; John A., born Jan. 29,
1880; William Frank, born April 14, 1884.
- As time passed, Mr. BARLASS added to his original purchase
of land, until he is now the owner
- of 200 acres, forty of which is timber land and is located
in Johnstown Township, while the remainder, 160 acres, comprises
his home farm. Neither labor nor expense have been spared to
make his home beautiful. Improvements to the value of $6,500
have been added to the farm, the land has been placed under the
highest cultivation and everything about the place denotes refinement,
enterprise and industry. In connection with general farming,
Mr. BARLASS gives considerable attention to stock raising, making
a specialty of the Clydesdale horses and Durham cattle. He has
held various local offices since becoming a resident of Rock
County; served since becoming a resident of Rock County; served
in the capacity of Assessor and Justice of the Peace for many
years; for nine years has been a member of the Town Board of
Supervisors; and for three years has held the office of County
Supervisor. In the fall of 1873, he was nominated and triumphantly
elected a member of the General Assembly from Rock County, and
was re-elected without opposition for the two succeeding years.
To each question that came up before the House he gave careful
consideration, and his course during his entire public life has
always been such as to win the confidence and regard of all.
In early life he was a supporter of the Free-soil party, but
on the organization of the Republican party, joined its ranks
and has since been one of its earnest advocates. He and his wife
are both members of the United Presbyterian Church. In 1886,
they celebrated the twenty-fifty anniversary of a happy wedded
life and many friends assembled at their home and while expressing
words of congratulation and wishes for their future happiness
and prosperity left many valuable presents as tokens of the love
and respect in which they are held. No citizens of Rock County
are more widely known or more highly esteemed, and their home
is the abode of hospitality and good cheer, where the friends
receive a heartfelt welcome.
- On the opposite page the portraits of this worthy couple
will be seen, and none are more
- deserving a place in this work.
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-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 463-464; lithograph from
same book.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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