H. F. BARBOUR, editor of the Bradford Evening Star. Bradford, was born in Chemung county. N. Y., March 14, 1845, the youngest of five children that lived to maturity of J. N. and Elizabeth (Thompson) Barbour, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Connecticut. His mother died just as he leached manhood. His father, over eighty, is now residing near Elmira, N. Y.
The subject of these lines was reared in his native county, and here obtained his rudimentary education, and at the age of sixteen entered Alfred University. After three years be left college to prepare himself for his life work as publisher and editor, the University, at the commencement in 1889, voluntarily granting him an honorary diploma and degree of Master of Arts March, 1869, be received an appointment in the Government printing office at Washington, where for three years he held the Greek Cases. In 1872 he came to McKean county and purchased the Smethport Miner. In 1884 he sold the Miner and bought a half interest in the Bradford Evening Star. A year later he purchased his partner's interest and organized The Star Publishing company, of which he is president, and owner of more than three-fourths of the stock. He is an able writer, aggressive and forcible, but never scurrilous; is an out-and-out Republican, and the Star, being conducted in the interests of that party, has proved of great benefit to the Republican cause of McKean county. The Star is published daily, and has the largest circulation in the county, indeed, remarkably large for a city like Bradford. Mr. Barbour is an indefatigable worker, and the success the paper has attained is due to his untiring energy and his ability as publisher and editor. He is an active member of the Masonic order, and is a Knight Templar.
Mr. Barbour was married at Smethport, McKean Co., Penn., September 17, 1873, to Mary E. , daughter of Rev. H. and Jane (Smith) Peck, her father having been a minister in the Methodist Church for several years, in McKean county, but now living in the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Barbour have one child, Ward W., a lad of fifteen years.
