Judge Joseph Barker House
Encyclopedia
The Judge Joseph Barker House is a historic residence in southern Washington County
, Ohio
, United States
. Located along State Route 7 southwest of the community of Newport, it is a brick structure with a roof of metal, a foundation of sandstone
, and other elements of wood and metal. Constructed in 1832, it is a two-story
rectangular building that sits atop an Ohio River
bluff. Its floor plan
is five bays
wide, featuring a central entrance with a fanlight
and sidelight
s.
The house was built as the home of Joseph Barker, Jr., whose parents moved to the newly-founded village of Marietta
in 1789. As a skilled builder of both buildings and ships, his father Joseph was a leading member of local society. Although the family spent some time living in Marietta during the Northwest Indian War
and during a winter after their farm was destroyed by fire, they typically lived on a property several miles up the Muskingum River
from its mouth at Marietta. Like his father, who held the office from 1830 to 1842, the younger Barker served on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas
during the middle of the nineteenth century, only leaving office because of his death. Before this time, he had served in the Ohio General Assembly
in the early 1830s.
Judge Barker's home was constructed by his father Joseph, a colonel
in the Ohio militia
; although Colonel Barker built many prominent houses throughout Washington County, very few survive to the present day. For this reason, Judge Barker's house is among the most significant of the county's historic buildings. In 1979, the Judge Joseph Barker House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Qualifying it for this distinction were its historically significant architecture and its association with the elder Barker. It is one of thirty-five Washington County places to be listed on the Register; among the other thirty-four is the home
of the judge's father, which lies along Masonic Home Road north of Marietta. It is no longer a residence, having been converted into a government office under the ownership of the Army Corps of Engineers
by the late 1970s.
Washington County, Ohio
Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located along State Route 7 southwest of the community of Newport, it is a brick structure with a roof of metal, a foundation of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, and other elements of wood and metal. Constructed in 1832, it is a two-story
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
rectangular building that sits atop an Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
bluff. Its floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
is five bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
wide, featuring a central entrance with a fanlight
Fanlight
A fanlight is a window, semicircular or semi-elliptical in shape, with glazing bars or tracery sets radiating out like an open fan, It is placed over another window or a doorway. and is sometimes hinged to a transom. The bars in the fixed glazed window spread out in the manner a sunburst...
and sidelight
Sidelight
A sidelight is a window, usually with a vertical emphasis, that flanks a door. Sidelights are narrow, usually stationary and found immediately adjacent doorways...
s.
The house was built as the home of Joseph Barker, Jr., whose parents moved to the newly-founded village of Marietta
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
in 1789. As a skilled builder of both buildings and ships, his father Joseph was a leading member of local society. Although the family spent some time living in Marietta during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
and during a winter after their farm was destroyed by fire, they typically lived on a property several miles up the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
from its mouth at Marietta. Like his father, who held the office from 1830 to 1842, the younger Barker served on the Washington County Court of Common Pleas
Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
The Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of the state court system of Ohio.The courts of common pleas are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the state. They are the only trial courts created by the Ohio Constitution . The duties of the courts are outlined in Article IV, Section...
during the middle of the nineteenth century, only leaving office because of his death. Before this time, he had served in the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
in the early 1830s.
Judge Barker's home was constructed by his father Joseph, a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Ohio militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
; although Colonel Barker built many prominent houses throughout Washington County, very few survive to the present day. For this reason, Judge Barker's house is among the most significant of the county's historic buildings. In 1979, the Judge Joseph Barker House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Qualifying it for this distinction were its historically significant architecture and its association with the elder Barker. It is one of thirty-five Washington County places to be listed on the Register; among the other thirty-four is the home
Colonel Joseph Barker House
The Colonel Joseph Barker House is a historic residence in Washington County, Ohio, United States. Located north of Marietta, in the Muskingum Township community of Devola, it has changed little since its construction in the early nineteenth century, and it has been designated a historic...
of the judge's father, which lies along Masonic Home Road north of Marietta. It is no longer a residence, having been converted into a government office under the ownership of the Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
by the late 1970s.