Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 23 January 2005

Page
794

WILLIAM T. BARKALOW, Postmaster, Franklin; son of William P. and Mary (Tapscott) Barkalow; was born in Franklin June 24, 1810; his parents were natives of Monmouth Co., N. J., and came here in 1803, and bought over 1,000 acres of land on the west side of the Great Miami River; they paid $2.40 per acre; they sold most of it to their relatives, who came here later. His father died in 1852, in his 83d year. William T. now has 2 1/2 acres of the estate bordering on the river; he was reared on a farm till 15 years old, when he went to Lebanon and entered the office of Jonathan K, Wilds, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas; he remained one year and then came to Franklin, in 1826, and engaged as clerk in the general store of John N. C. Schenck,
who also acted as Postmaster at that time; he remained with him three years. In 1830, he was married, in Lebanon, to Mary H., daughter of Joseph and Rachel Smith, born in Princeton, N. J., Sept. 27, 1810. They had three children, one still living—Sarah, married to Arthur B. Barkalow. In 1832. he opened & dry goods store on the east side of the canal, which he kept three or four years; he then engaged in the manufacture of chairs and also as general house and sign painter till 1845. He then went to Cincinnati as book-keeper for Lot Pugh & Co., butchering and rendering establishment; he remained till 1848. In 1849, he engaged in the manufacture of soap, candles, neats' foot, oil, glue, etc, in company with others; firm known as William T. Barkalow & Co. till 1860, when he again returned to Franklin and engaged in the nursery business until 1877, when he was appointed Postmaster Feb. 22, 1879; it was. changed to a salary office and he was re-appointed to serve four years. He has been a member of the Odd Fellows society since 1842. His family are members of the Presbyterian Church. He had one son—Arthur B.; in the late war, he enlisted in Franklin in the 100-day service; their other child, Lydia, died in Cincinnati, at the age of 14. In 1853 and 1854, he was a member of the City Council in Cincinnati; was elected in the Eighth Ward; he was instrumental in establishing a first-class fire department there.