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Biography For Christopher Barker

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Author:
Bill Hart

Background:

C.C. Barker and his wife came to Wausau in 1886 from Bay City, Michigan, where Mr. Barker, in partnership with Hiram Stewart, bought out the lumber firm of Clark-Johnson & Company in 1887. This company later conducted business under the name of The Barker & Stewart Lumber Company on McIndoe Island, with Mr. Barker serving as its president.  This mill was known throughout Wisconsin as “Wausau’s island mill.” 

Accomplishments:

Mr. Barker remained in Wausau for only six years, returning to Bay City in 1892, but retained his interests in the Wausau Lumber business.  While here, he soon became more and more interested in the great lumbering possibilities of the western states, particularly Washington and Oregon, and he made several trips there with Mr. Stewart to look over the country.  Convinced that Oregon showed promise for big results from investments, the partners quickly invested deeply in the Oregon lumber woods.  There they formed a huge lumber company known as the Peninsular Lumber Company.  Mr. Stewart returned to Wausau to look after their interests there, and Mr. Barker and his wife moved to Portland and assumed management of Peninsular. 

 

C.C. Barker suffered a heart attack aboard a train near Green River, Wyoming and passed away on December 30, 1907. He is buried in Portland, Oregon.

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Other Information

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Nickname: C. C.

Date of Birth: 12/2/1841

Date of Death: 12/30/1907

Place of Death: Wyoming

Place of Burial: River View Cemetery, Portland, OR

Race: W

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