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Note: Obituary - Kansas City Times, March 6, 1948 -BARKER - Mr. Richard Henson, age 80, of 517 Ridgeway, passed away March 4. Funeral services Geo. C. Carson Chapel 1o'clock Monday: interment Forest Hill Geo. C. Carson Funeral Home CL 1010
Richard & Rosa's residence was 1230 Walnut St, Kansas City, Mo in 1894. In 1895 they were living at 1609 Madison Ave. Kansas City, MO. Their first home in Independence, Mo. was on Blue Avenue. This is where son Dick (Richard T.) had his soda pop stand. This street was later named Van Horn, then Truman Rd. The place where Dick had his pop stand was bulldozed over about 1975 and made into a small park. The family also lived on N. Delaware, and at two different addresses on Ridgeway. - Contributed by Christian A. Barker
The 1920 US Census for Jackson Co. Blue Twp, District # 7 lists Richard H. and Rosa Barker residing at 617 North Ridgeway, Independence Mo, with children Ethel L, Richard T, Christian A, William, and Rose Mary, daughter of Ethel, is listed as adopted. Still at this address in 1926 at the time of sister Mary (Molly) death.
The 1930 US Census for Jackson Co. Blue Twp, District 244 shows Richard H. and Rosa E. Barker with children Christian, William, and Russell residing at 517 N. Ridgeway, Independence, MO.
According to William I. Barker none of these homes now exist. The Ridgeway address was in the vicinity of the present Truman Library. Much of the old neighborhood was demolished with the construction of the temple of the Reorganized LDS Church.
The Barker Family has 6 grave sites in Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, MO. All graves except Richard & Rosa, are unmarked. There is a small round dated marker for Baby Barker.
Block 35 Lot 35 Spaces 7-12
#7 Rose E. Barker
#8 Richard Henson Barker
#9 Lydia Ann Barker
#10 Thomas F. Barker and Mary Barker (one is cremated)
#11 Myrtle Barker
#12 Baby Barker
Following is a news clipping by R. F. Robinson, Kansas City, Mo. Lodge 875, 1934 where Richard Henson was presented a 40 yr. emblem.
The officers and members of Lodge 875 at its meeting, November 14, 1934 enjoyed the privilege and honor of presenting a forty-year emblem to one of its charter members, Brother Richard H. Barker, retired engineer of the Kansas City Southern Railway, who originally joined Lodge 337 February 17, 1891.
At the time of his retirement, in March 1927, Brother Barker ranked second in length of service among the enginemen on the Kansas City Southern, and but four employees on this railroad had a longer service record. His dated back to January 6, 1890 when he was employed as a fireman. He had been an engineer since august 28, 1898.
"Dick" by which name he is popularly known, was born in Chillicothe, Missouri, March 16, 1867. When he was two years old his parents moved to Kansas City. His father was employed as a machinist by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, and, quite naturally, as a youngster, Dick acquired a desire to become an engineer.
Following the footsteps of his father, Brother Barker entered railroad service with the Burlington as an engine wiper in the Kansas City shops in the early part of 1886. At the expiration of his first year of service he was promoted to fireman. He remained with the Burlington a year as a Fireman, resigning to go with the Kansas City and Independence Rapid Transit Co., where he fired an engine for a period of two years and a half. Shortly before his twenty-third birthday he entered the service of the company which is now a part of the Kansas City Southern as a fireman and served there continuously until he was retired.
The filming of "Jesse James Under the Black Flag" in Kansas City in 1921 gave Brother Barker as opportunity to display his talents, when the old "65" bedecked with a "Mother Hubbard" smokestack was selected for the hold-up scene, and Dick the engineer, acted his part in a manner which could not have been excelled by any star of the screen.
Always a very active and enthusiastic member of the order Brother Barker has contributed largely to the building up of our membership. He is justly proud of his membership in "The Tried and True" and never misses an opportunity to display his emblem and relate reminiscences of the past. In expressing his thanks for the honor bestowed on him by the lodge Brother Barker said he was looking forward in happy anticipation to the time when it will be his privilege to wear a fifty year emblem.
The following was written by Richard Henson Barker's son Christian:
Train Wreck of September, 1912, - There is quite a story pertaining to this wreck. Dad was the engineer, but because he got a notice of unpaid taxes in Kansas City he laid off the a half day to go with his paid tax bill and get things straightened out. "Dad" Letters was the swing engineer and took Dads morning run. However, the line of persons with the same problem was so long at the city hall Dad got back to work too late to take the afternoon run. Meanwhile, word came in to the yards of the wreck and Dad rode the wrecker out to the site. The crew board showed Dad as the engineer and Mom got word that Dad was pinned in the wreckage. She hitched the horse to the buggy, and with me in one had and whip in the other she took off. She was standing at the wreck crying (she had gotten the word that Dad was dead but the engine was still too hot to start recovering the body. As she was standing there Dad came walking up wondering what she was weeping about. If it had not been for the city making a mistake on the folks tax bill Dad Barker would have been the victim instead of Dad Letters!
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