George Barr, Berlin, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 26, 1841. His father, George Barr, was also a native of Germany, where he passed his life chiefly in farming, though for twenty years he served in he army. His wife, Salmon Busteter, was of French birth, but moved to Germany with her family when a girl. She died when her son George was six years old. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom are still living, all except one in America.
Our subject came to this country when about eleven years old, and lived in Wisconsin three years, removing to Bureau County in the spring of 1859. August, 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Ninety-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, served for one year, when he was discharged for disability. He participated in the siege of Vicksburg. Since his return from the war he has been engaged in farming, and has also run a threshing-machine and corn-sheller for several years. In 1877 he bought his present farm of eighty acres in Section 33, Berlin Township. Presently he had resided on a farm near DePue.
He was married October 14, 1867, to Rachel Martin, a native of Warren County, N. J., born October 14, 1840. She is the daughter of Henry and Mary (Brown) Martin, both natives of New Jersey. Mr. Martin died at Malden in April, 1879, but his widow still resides there. Mr. and Mrs. Barr have two children, viz.: Fleedia, born March 14, 1879, and Henry, born October 30, 1874.
In politics Mr. Barr is identified with the Republican party. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Malden.
Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885