Biography - Rev. Lucius E. Barnard
Rev. Lucius E. Barnard, A. M., Local Elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
residing at No. 28 Cherry street, Galesburg, is the son of Rufus and Jemina
(Kellogg) Barnard, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont and of
English descent. He was born at Waitsfield, Washington Co., Vt., June 14, 1828.
The senior Mr. Barnard was a farmer; he died in 1874, upon the place where he
had spent 80 years of his life. His wife preceded him to the grave nearly two
years. He was aged 83 years and his wife 82-1/2. The parental family contained
five sons and five daughters, the subject of this sketch being next to the
youngest of the family.
Our subject graduated from the University of Vermont, at Burlington, in 1853.
Having studied with a view to the ministry, he received further instructions in
that direction after graduating from college. His parents were members of the
Congregational Church, and brought their children up in that faith. It was from
that church that our subject took letters when he entered Auburn (N. Y.)
Theological Seminary. He was licensed to preach by the Montpelier Association in
1857, and the following year graduated from the Auburn Theological Seminary,
having in the meantime changed his denominational relation to that of the
Presbyterian Church. In 1859, at Amboy, N. Y., the church of his adoption
ordained him, and he preached at that place for one year. In 1860 he came to
Galesburg and again changed his relationship, returning to the faith of his
parents after taking charge of the Old First Church (Congregational), and
preached there about six months. The last change was brought about by what many
considered was the Blanchard fanaticism prevailing here at that period, and for
a time, they believed, threatened to disrupt the social and religious fabric of
the city. The Old First Church was at that date so completely under the ban of
rank and unreasonable intolerance that a Presbyterian was not allowed to speak
under its roof, and they felt that, had not a wiser and better element come
rapidly to the rescue, the man who for a time carried things high-handedly as
the President of Knox College would have made of Galesburg a fit habitation only
for the witch-burners of 200 years ago.
From the "Old First" the Rev. Mr. Barnard was called, and preached a year and a
half in Waukegan, and the following year at Georgia, Vt., going thence out in
the world on his own responsibility to God, as it were, preaching the Gospel of
Christ whithersoever he went, in manner and form as beseemed him best, and
asking naught of any denomination or association as to his authority, but taught
Christ and Him crucified, as he learned the simple story from the written
Gospel, having been, through the aid of false testimony, by the Congregational
Association retired from their ministry. In Geddes, N. Y., in 1870, at the
urgent request of many members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he united with
that denomination, and subsequently preached for some years in New York State.
In 1874 Mr. Barnard returned to Galesburg, where he has since been a recognized
Local Elder of his church. May 14, 1861, he was married, at Detroit, Mich., to
Miss Emma L. Barnard, and by her had born to him two children – Charles Kellogg,
born at Waukegan, Ill., March 14, 1862, died at Galesburg, Feb. 11, 1880, and a
daughter, Fannie H. Rev. Mr. Barnard is prominent in the Order of Good Templars,
Chaplain of the Red Ribbon Reform Club, and honorary member of his old college
society, the Delta Psi, a literary and social fraternity of the University of
Vermont.
Contributed by Bob Miller, extracted from the 1886 Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, pages 778 and 779.
