California Genealogy and History Archives
Biographies
of
Sacramento County
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SPENCER
BARFOOT Destiny
brought to Mr. Barfoot an identification with and a knowledge of three
centuries. Concerning these he has only vague and indistinct memories of
the first, England, where he was born in 1834 and whence he was taken to
Canada at an age ere he had been trained to habits of close observation.
When seven years old he began his sojourn in Canada and there he passed
the years of boyhood and youth, there he married Miss Ellen Jordan, and
there he took upon himself the responsibilities incident to the
maintenance of a family. The third and last country of his residence and
the land of his permanent citizenship was the United States, where he
engaged in farming near Whitewater, Wis., and devoted the years of his
strength and activity to the securing of a competency. During his
residence there he accomplished much for the benefit of the community,
for in his citizenship he avoided selfishness but labored for the
general welfare of all. By experience he became thoroughly conversant
with the best methods of conducting a farm. Intelligent oversight was
responsible for the uniformly excellent crops that he secured from the
cultivation of the soil. Eventually, desiring to enter upon an old age
of comfort and relaxation from farm cares, he disposed of his property
in Wisconsin and with his wife removed to Sacramento in 1903, joining
some of their family in this city, where six years later he was deeply
bereaved by the death of his wife, the devoted counselor of his days of
labor and the beloved companion of his later years of tranquil
retirement. There
were nine children in the family of Spencer and Ellen Barfoot and all
are living except a son, Frederick. They are named as follows: John,
Frank, Will, Ebenezer, Earl E., Morley, Archie and Grace. Fair
common-school educations were given to the sons and daughter in their
childhood and they have become substantial citizens of their chosen
communities. All are married with the exception of Earl E. and Archie
and they reside with their father at No. 3716 Magnolia street. The
latter son is employed by the Southern Pacific Company, while Earl E.,
who came to California during 1895 and for four years remained in the
employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, after a subsequent
visit at the old Wisconsin home, returned to embark in the hardware
business in Sacramento. About 1911 he became interested in the poultry
business and since then he has become a specialist with pure-bred
chickens. While he favors Republican principles in national issues, he
gives his support in local campaigns to the men whom he considers best
qualified for the offices in question. With his father and brother he
contributes toward the maintenance of worthy civic enterprises and
exhibits a public spirit that never has been questioned. It is to the
citizenship of such patriotic and progressive men that Sacramento is
indebted for her past progress and present standing. |
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Source: Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011 |