The Biographical Record of the Class of 1879
Yale College
Compiled for its Sexennial
RALPH BARKER, the son of George and Cornelia (Clark) Barker, was born in Brooklyn, NY August 26,1857. He lived in New York City until fourteen years of age, when he was sent to Bridgeport to G.B Days well-known school. During three long years did this worthy preceptor endeavor to put some color on Bark’s head, but his success was insignificant. Ralph was fain to finish his preparation at Grammar School in New Haven, with every prospect of being called White Top for the rest of his days.
After his diploma had been handed over to him, he repaired to the great metropolis and found a humble position in an iron broker’s office. He like, however, neither the business, compensation, nor chances of this kind of life, and deserted it in September, 1880, to exercise his scholarly taste as principal of a grammar school at West Bridgewater, Mass..
After a year of this he became head of the High School of that town, but though a successful instructor, the work was not entirely to his taste. In 1882, the Madison Cotton Gin Company, which owns the Phoenix Mills at Madison, Florida, offered him the position of secretary and treasure, and Bark removed his household goods to the land of the alligator, where he still holds forth.
The company is owned by Northern capitalist and Barker is to a certain extent, their general factotum there – and who that has beheld him of late would not be a factotum in Florida! He indulged in matrimony on March 16, 1881, with Miss Eugenia F. Robinson, and has had one child, Cornelia C., Born August 21, 1882.
Some interesting reading about Ralph Barker and Yale in the Yale Class of 1879.