The Cicero Barker Family - Family Histories

     The heirs of William Barker received a Donation Certificate 694 for 640 acres on April 20, 1855. This was for William's participation in the Battle of San Jacinto. One hundred-nineteen of these acres were patented to his heirs, November 5, 1867, in Coleman County. So it was that Cicero Barker (born February 27, 1853, at Dodge, Walker County- died January 18, 1926 in Santa Anna), a son of William (January 28, 1810 in Louisiana Territory-October 21, 1865) and Alitia (Humble) Barker (September 8, 1817 in Louisiana - January 9, 1899 in Mullins County), daughter of James Humble and Mary Nettles, came to settle in this county. The William Barkers came to Texas between 1833 and 1836. Other children of William and Alitia were:

     (1) William Jr., born about 1833 in Louisiana;

     (2) James, about 1837 in Republic of Texas;

     (3) Henry, in 1839 Republic of Texas;

     (4) Thomas, about 1842;

     (5) John about 1844;

     (6) Jane about 1847;

     (7) Joseph about 1849; (

     8) Charles about 1855;

     (9) Amanda about 1857; and

     10) Althea, January 30, 1859.

     Barkers, other than descendants of Cicero, who reside or have resided in Coleman County, also descend from this line.

     Cicero brought with him to Coleman County his first wife, Olive, born February 1, in Dodge, Walker County, daughter of John, born 1810 in Alabama, and Mary Magdalene Rogers, born about 1834 in North Carolina. Olive had one sister, Ellen, and several half sisters and brothers. After John Rogers death, Mary Magdalene married a Mr. Mann. Cicero and Olive were married about 1880 and she died April 18, 1894 after the birth of their third child. Their children;

     (1) Hallie (November 27, 1881 in Dodge-August 18, 1945) took over the household responsibilities when her mother died and cared for her sister, Ethel, with the help of her father and the Green family. This family took the infant, Olive Chilton, to raise until he was old enough to return home. Thus, a strong bond was established between the Barkers and the Greens. (See Willis Scoggin Green).   Hallie became a strong character, who took many responsibilities within her family and the community the rest of her life. Hallie married Clinton Lowe, October 30, 1901. (See Robert Martin Lowe).

     (2) Ethel Ellen (May 25, 1892 in Coleman County - February 24, 1976) (see Robert Martin Lowe);

     (3) Olive Chilton (April 18, 1894 in Santa Anna) served in the army during WWI, stationed in France. He married Lillian Amanda Chitty (died in 1980 in Santa Anna) of Coleman County February 14, 1920. Lillian was a retired vocational nurse. They moved from the county around 1939, returning to Santa Anna in the 1960's. When their boys were young, they lived in the Red Bank community and attended school in Santa Anna, where they studied Texas history from a book authored by their father's cousin, Eugene C. Barker. Three sons:

       (3a) John Melvin, September 12, 1922, married Lois Ann Davis, three children, Vicki Leigh, John Melvin, Jr. and Bobby Jean. They live in Grand Prairie.

       (3b) Wayne Cicero, May 6, 1924, married Jeanette Lambert. They live in Santa Anna, where Wayne is a laboratory technician. Three children, Carol Jean, Larry and Terry.

       (3) Gerald, May 25, 1925, married Esther Miller, lives in Mountain City, Tennessee, two sons, Jimmy and Keith.

     Cicero married (2) Mollie (Davis) Jackson, a widow with one child. They had four children: Paul, Marie, Ruby Lee and Wilburn Nixon.

     The land grant which brought the Cicero Barkers to the county was lived on by members of their family for almost 100 years. The last family member to occupy the land was Clifford Lowe. The property sold in 1970.

(Images to be added)

Olive, Cicero, Hallie, Ethel, about 1898

Jim, Henry, John, Cicero and Althea, 1907

Front: Olive, John, Lillian, Back: Wayne, Gerald Barker