J. Allen Barber

J. Allen Barber
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875
Preceded by	Amasa Cobb
Succeeded by	Henry S. Magoon
15th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office January 14, 1863 – January 13, 1864
Preceded by	Joseph W. Beardsley
Succeeded by	William W. Field
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 16th district
In office January 1, 1856 – January 1, 1858
Preceded by	Nelson Dewey
Succeeded by	Noah H. Virgin
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 1, 1863 – January 1, 1865
Preceded by	Joseph Trotter Mills
Succeeded by	Henry Utt
Constituency	Grant 3rd district
In office January 1, 1853 – January 1, 1854
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	Milas K. Young
Constituency	Grant 5th district
In office January 1, 1852 – January 1, 1853
Preceded by	Robert M. Briggs
Succeeded by	Jeremiah E. Dodge
Constituency	Grant 4th district
District Attorney of Grant County
In office January 1, 1853 – January 1, 1855
Preceded by	William Hull
Succeeded by	James M. Goodhue
In office January 1, 1846 – January 1, 1849
Preceded by	James M. Goodhue
Succeeded by	William Biddlecome
In office January 1, 1840 – January 1, 1844
Preceded by	F. J. Munger
Succeeded by	Willis H. Chapman
President of the Lancaster Village Board
In office April 1875 – May 1878
Preceded by	Addison Burr
Succeeded by	Position abolished
In office April 1860 – April 1863
Preceded by	John Chandler Holloway
In office April 1856 – April 1857
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	J. H. Hyde
Personal details
Born	(1809-01-17)January 17, 1809 Georgia, Vermont
Died	June 28, 1881(1881-06-28) (aged 72) Lancaster, Wisconsin
Resting place	Hillside Cemetery Lancaster, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican Union (1864) Whig (before 1855)
Children	2 sons, 2 daughters
Parents	Joel Barber (father) Aseneth Melvin Barber (mother)

Joel Allen Barber (January 17, 1809 – June 28, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician. He served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district, he was the 15th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and he served one term in the Wisconsin State Senate.^[1][2][3]

Barber was born in the town of Georgia, in Franklin County, Vermont, to Joel and Aseneth Melvin Barber.^[4] He worked on a farm until age 18, then entered the Georgia Academy. After graduating from the academy, he attended the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he studied law. He left the university after two and a half years and read law with George P. Marsh. He was admitted to the bar in 1833^[4] in Prince George's County, Maryland, where he was teaching school, and commenced practice in Fairfield, Vermont.

Barber moved to the Wisconsin Territory in 1837, settling in Lancaster, in Grant County, where he continued to practice law.^[4] He served as county clerk for Grant County, for four years and as district attorney for three terms. He served as member of the first constitutional convention of Wisconsin in 1846.^[4]

Barber was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1852, 1853, as a Whig, in 1863 as a Republican, and, 1864, on the National Union ticket. He was elected speaker for the 1863 session.^[4] He also served one two-year term as Grant County's representative in the Wisconsin State Senate in 1856 and 1857.^[4]

After establishing a law partnership with George Clementson in 1869, Barber was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Republican, serving in the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1875.^[4] He served as the representative of Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district. While Barber was serving in Congress, George Clementson conducted the legal work of their firm. Barber was not a candidate for renomination in 1874, and was succeeded by Henry S. Magoon.^[5] Upon leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law with Clementson.

Barber died in Lancaster, Wisconsin, June 28, 1881,^[4] following an attack of peritonitis^[5] and was interred in Hillside Cemetery.

• United States Congress. "J. Allen Barber (id: B000122)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.