Daniel Barber
Encyclopedia
Daniel Barber was an American Episcopalian minister and prominent Roman Catholic convert.
. In his thirtieth year he was ordained a minister of the Episcopal Church at Schenectady, New York
. He married Chloe Case, daughter of Judge Owen of Simsbury, Connecticut, and about 1787, with his wife, his three sons, and a daughter, moved to Claremont, New Hampshire
. He exercised the duties of the ministry at the Union Church
for thirty years.
The reading of a Catholic book opened up for him the issue of the validity of Anglican orders, by impugning Archbishop Parker's consecration. He visited for a conference Bishop Cheverus, then a priest in Boston.
In 1807, at the instance of her parents, he baptized Fanny Allen
, daughter of General Ethan Allen
, who subsequently became a convert and died a nun in the convent of the Hotel-Dieu
, Montreal
. A visit he made there greatly impressed him, and Miss Allen's change of faith indirectly had much to do with his own conversion.
His son, Virgil Horace Barber
, who was a minister in charge of an Episcopal academy at Fairfield
, near Utica, New York
, read John Milner
's "End of Controversy" back to New York after a visit to Claremont. This visit resulted in the conversion of both husband and wife in 1817. The following year Virgil returned to Claremont from New York, taking with him Father Charles French, a Dominican
who was officiating there at St. Peter's church. The priest remained a week in Daniel Barber's house preaching and saying Mass, with the result that he had seven converts, including Chloe Barber and her children, Mrs. Noah Tyler, who was Daniel Barber's sister, and her eldest daughter Rosetta. Mrs. Tyler was the mother of William Tyler
, first Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut
. Her husband and six other children were subsequently converted, and four of the daughters became Sisters of Charity
.
Chloe Barber died in her seventy-ninth year, 8 February 1825. Her husband was not baptized with her, but on 15 November 1818, gave up his place as minister of the Episcopal parish of Claremont. He then went to visit friends in Maryland
and Washington
, where he entered the Catholic Church. He spent the rest of his life, after the death of his wife, in Maryland and Pennsylvania
, near his son Virgil, and he died in 1834 at the house of the Society of Jesus
at Saint Inigoes, Maryland.
In "History of My Own Times" (Washington, 1827) he states that his father and mother were Congregational Dissenters, of strict Puritan
principles, and he continued in that sect until his twenty-seventh year, when he joined the Episcopalians.
Life
He served two terms as a soldier in the Continental ArmyContinental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. In his thirtieth year he was ordained a minister of the Episcopal Church at Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. He married Chloe Case, daughter of Judge Owen of Simsbury, Connecticut, and about 1787, with his wife, his three sons, and a daughter, moved to Claremont, New Hampshire
Claremont, New Hampshire
There were 5,685 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had...
. He exercised the duties of the ministry at the Union Church
Union Episcopal Church (Claremont, New Hampshire)
Union Episcopal Church, also known as the English Church, is an historic church located on Old Church Road in Claremont, New Hampshire, in the United States. Built in 1773 it is the oldest surviving Episcopal church building in New Hampshire and is also the state's oldest surviving building...
for thirty years.
The reading of a Catholic book opened up for him the issue of the validity of Anglican orders, by impugning Archbishop Parker's consecration. He visited for a conference Bishop Cheverus, then a priest in Boston.
In 1807, at the instance of her parents, he baptized Fanny Allen
Fanny Allen
Frances Margaret Allen was the first New England woman to become a Catholic nun. The daughter of Revolutionary War General Ethan Allen, she converted to Catholicism and entered the convent of the Religious Hospitallers of St...
, daughter of General Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen was a farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, and American Revolutionary War patriot, hero, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of the U.S...
, who subsequently became a convert and died a nun in the convent of the Hotel-Dieu
Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal
The Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal is the oldest hospital in Montreal, Quebec. Since 1996 it has been one of the three hospitals making up the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal ....
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. A visit he made there greatly impressed him, and Miss Allen's change of faith indirectly had much to do with his own conversion.
His son, Virgil Horace Barber
Virgil Horace Barber
Virgil Horace Barber was an American Jesuit.-Life:His father was Daniel Barber; like his father, Virgil was a Catholic convert. He himself said that the first step leading to his conversion was the reading of "A Novena to St...
, who was a minister in charge of an Episcopal academy at Fairfield
Fairfield, New York
Fairfield is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Fairfield, Connecticut.The Town of Fairfield is north of the Village of Herkimer and east of Utica...
, near Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, read John Milner
John Milner (bishop)
John Milner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and writer who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Midland District from 1803 to 1826.-Early life:...
's "End of Controversy" back to New York after a visit to Claremont. This visit resulted in the conversion of both husband and wife in 1817. The following year Virgil returned to Claremont from New York, taking with him Father Charles French, a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
who was officiating there at St. Peter's church. The priest remained a week in Daniel Barber's house preaching and saying Mass, with the result that he had seven converts, including Chloe Barber and her children, Mrs. Noah Tyler, who was Daniel Barber's sister, and her eldest daughter Rosetta. Mrs. Tyler was the mother of William Tyler
William Tyler (bishop)
William Tyler was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Hartford ....
, first Bishop of Hartford, Connecticut
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
. Her husband and six other children were subsequently converted, and four of the daughters became Sisters of Charity
Sisters of Charity
Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....
.
Chloe Barber died in her seventy-ninth year, 8 February 1825. Her husband was not baptized with her, but on 15 November 1818, gave up his place as minister of the Episcopal parish of Claremont. He then went to visit friends in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he entered the Catholic Church. He spent the rest of his life, after the death of his wife, in Maryland and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, near his son Virgil, and he died in 1834 at the house of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
at Saint Inigoes, Maryland.
Works
Two pamphlets, printed at Washington, "Catholic Worships and Piety Explained and Recommended in Sundry Letters to a Very Dear Friend and Others" (1821), and "History of My Own Times", give details of his life and convictions.In "History of My Own Times" (Washington, 1827) he states that his father and mother were Congregational Dissenters, of strict Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
principles, and he continued in that sect until his twenty-seventh year, when he joined the Episcopalians.