James E. Homans, editor

“ Barber, now in his seventy-seventh year, is still a man of large affairs — an organizer, builder, and doer of large things. His physical strength is equal to his courage, and both to his ambition, and it is the beautiful wish of a very large and united community that his long, useful, and unselfish life may be prolonged to see the fullest realization of his splendid vision. Mr. Barber has married twice ”

“ Several of the cows on the farm have held, or now hold, the world's record for milk production, and, as is claimed with evident truth, no herd in the world to-day can equal that of the Anna Dean Farm in production, individuality, show animals, prominence of breeding, and general values. ”

“ Barber has spent millions of dollars, constantly adding to it year by year, and all this wealth of natural and developed usefulness and beauty is to be left for the benefit of the general public at the owner's death. It is unquestionably the largest and most ideal venture in progressive agriculture and horticulture in the world to-day. It is Mr. Barber's purpose that it become a head center of special instruction of the highest type in these arts. ”

“ Barber to combine and found on this beautiful estate a training-school in all the branches of the allied arts of agriculture and horticulture, recognizing that opportunities are here offered for instruction and practical experimentation which can be found nowhere else. The school will be a residential institution, governed by the broadest policy of improvement and opportunity for making good, and will be open to both sexes. Nearly 1,000 head of cattle, horses, and other livestock are maintained constantly on the farm, in a series of model barns and pastures. ”

“ Every modern method for the improvement of breeds and rearing of stock is in operation, on a scale scarcely ever attempted before, and with results that interest even experts. There is also an extensive poultry farm, squabbery, dairy, cannery, a slaughtering house and packing department, a mill for the grinding of meals, feeds, and flour, extensive silos, and all other equipment of the most up-to-date establishments. Every by-product is also utilized in a most intelligent and systematic manner. ”

“ For example, animal by-products are utilized as fertilizer, which, together with large acreage of green vegetable manuring crops, are annually plowed under, making a combination of elements that cannot be equaled in any other way, and which is producing results that are attracting the attention of experts throughout the world. ”

“ My work is my channel of development, therefore the better service rendered the company, the greater my growth.’ ” It is interesting to note, in this connection, that, while the company heads have encouraged organization among its workers, there has never been a strike among them, and that, even when excellent offers have been made to many of them by large manufacturers of munitions, etc., there have been no cases of defection. ”

“ It is said that no other concern has ever made a commercial success in the extraction of potash from kelp. The chemical process was discovered and worked out to perfection by W. A. Fairburn, a chemist long connected with the Barber interests, and is one of the notable practical achievements in the science of chemistry of the past century. Owing to this discovery the price of matches has not been raised since the European War shut off the old sources of potash supply. Mr. Fairburn is now president of the Diamond Match Company. ”

“ Barber, the headquarters of this American industry — can be found all over Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. The sun never sets on factories in active operation making matches by the method and machinery developed by the genius and initiative, and the unflagging enterprise of Ohio C. Barber. ”

“ His father, George Barber, was a native of Hartford, Conn., who was brought by his parents to Onondaga County, New York, as a child. Here he grew to manhood, learning the trade of a cooper. Moving westward to Ohio, he established himself as a cooper at Middlebury and so continuing until 1847, when he developed an initiative which culminated in a great industry, by embarking on a small scale in the making of matches. ”