Private First Class, Co H, 4th Infantry, 3rd Division.
Died of diphtheria in an embarkation hospital at Camp Stuart, Newport News, Virginia, February 3, 1918. Age 20.
Town: Batavia
Burial: Alexander Village Cemetery, Alexander, Genesee County, New York
Clifford Anson Barber was born in Alexander (Genesee County), New York, on October 15, 1897. He was the second of five children (brothers Clyde and Morris; sisters Norine and Vera) born to Luzerne and Blanche M (Marian or Marion) nee Brown Barber. The 1900 US Census shows the family living in Alexander, as does the 1905 New York State Census, which lists them on Buffalo Street. The 1910 US Census shows the Barbers, including Clifford at age 12 and his paternal grandfather, Cortland Barber, in Bethany. Under “Occupation,” Clifford’s father, Luzerne, is listed as a laborer, and “highway” is given as his type of business or industry.
Clifford Barber worked in the composing room of the Batavia Daily News for several years, living first in Stafford and then Batavia, before he joined the service. He was one of three Batavians (including Peter Schlick, who also died in service) who enlisted together in Rochester on April 28, 1917, barely more than two weeks after the United States entered the war.
Barber and the others were sworn in on May 1, 1917, at Columbus Barracks, Columbus, Ohio, and assigned to the 4th Infantry, which was garrisoned at Brownsville, Texas. In June 1917, the regiment moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for further training, and later was sent to Camp Greene, North Carolina as a part of the newly formed 3rd Division.
At the time of Clifford Barber’s death from diphtheria, which occurred suddenly following an apparent recovery from pneumonia, the 4th Infantry was stationed at Camp Stuart, Newport News, Virginia, preparing to embark for overseas duty.
Private First Class Barber’s remains were interred with military honors at the Alexander Village Cemetery on February 10, 1918. Note that County Honor Roll Lists 1 and 2, as well as the NY Roll of Honor and his NYSS, give Clifford Barber’s rank as private. All official Army documents in his Burial Case File, however, list him as Private First Class.
– – – – –
—— [CLICK ON DOCUMENTS TO OPEN FULL VIEW IN SEPARATE TAB] ——
February 14, 1918 Attica News p1 c3
– – – – –
Source: New York Service Summary from Abstracts of World War I Military Service, 1917-1919, NY State Archives, Albany, New York
– – – – –
Source: Burial Case Files, Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92, National Archives — St Louis, Missouri
– – – – –
Clifford A Barber headstone, Alexander Village Cemetery, Alexander, Genesee County, New York
GPS Coordinates: Lat 42° 53’ 55.059” N, Long 78° 14’ 57.969” W (DD: 42.898628 -78.249436)
– – – – –
Clifford A Barber Sources:
– All County Lists; also BHR
– May 19, 1917 BT p4 c4
– Feb 4, 1918 BD p1 c6*
– Feb 7, 1918 Attica News p1 c3
– Feb 9, 1918 BD p6 c4
– Feb 9, 1918 BT p2 c3-4
– Feb 14, 1918 Attica News p1 c3
– Nov 23, 1918 BT p1 c7
– Oct 3, 1929 Attica News p1 c2
– “United States Census, 1900.” Online index and images, HeritageQuest.com. Entries for Luzerne Barber (head) and Clifford Barber (son, age 2), citing Census Records, Alexander, Genesee, New York; sheet number 10B, lines 76 and 79, microfilm series T623, Roll 1037, page 27.
– “New York State Census, 1905.” Online index and images, FamilySearch.org. Entry for Clifford A Barber, age 7, citing Census Records, Alexander, E.D. 01, Genesee, New York; page number 4, line number 22.
– “United States Census, 1910.” Online index and images, HeritageQuest.com. Entries for Lezern (correct spelling Luzerne) Barber (head) and Clifford Barber (son, age 12), citing Census Records, Bethany Town, Genesee, New York; sheet number 5, line numbers 45 and 48, microfilm series T624, Roll 951, page 23.
– NYSS
– Roll of Honor (NY State), p 64
– 3d Division, Summary of Operations in the World War, pp 1-4
– Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War. Volume 3, Part 2, pp 791-92
– The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War, Volume V, Military Hospitals in the United States, Chapter XXIV, pp 451-80, accessed online, U.S. Army Medical Department, Office of Medical History (http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwi/MilitaryHospitalsintheUS/chapter24.htm)
– BCF
– Alexander Village Cemetery tombstone transcriptions, online, access from USGenWeb, “Genesee County NY Cemeteries” Table of Contents (http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/genesee/cemeteries/cemeterytoc.htm)
– – – – –
Click for Key to Source Abbreviations. See the Bibliography for complete title, author, and publisher information, with links to online access when available.