A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1033-1035
James M. Barlow, one of the substantial farmers of Washington Township, an old soldier of the Civil War, and an experienced educator, was born in Washington Township, Hendricks County, Ind., September 13, 1845. His father was Harvey R. Barlow, who married Sarah J. (Smith) Barlow. He was from an old American family, of Irish and Dutch descent, and came from Georgetown, Ky., and settled in Washington Township, Hendricks County, Ind., in 1827, with his father, Enoch Barlow, when but nine years of age. Enoch was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and a farmer and original pioneer, and well known. His wife was Jane Seller, was a leader in the Presbyterian Church, and was a preacher in the first Baptist Church of this county, and was foremost in establishing Sunday schools. She died in 1850, June 16, aged seventy-six years. Mr. Barlow was the first one buried in Washington Township. He died in 1837. Harvey R. Barlow entered land in what is now known as Lincoln Township, and was one of the very first settlers of Washington Township, having no neighbors nearer than five miles. In politics he was Republican and abolitionist. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he was an elder many years. He reared a family of five children: James M., Ruth A., Myra A., Harrison S., and Harvey M., all born in Hendricks County, Ind. Mr. Barlow lived to be fifty-four years old and died, August 5, 1872, on his farm.
James M. Barlow, our subject, received his education in the common schools, learned farming, and became expert in this business. On April 30, 1864, he enlisted at Indianapolis, in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until September 7, 1864, and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis on account of expiration of enlistment. He was in the battle of Atlanta, July 20, 1864. His regiment, however, was not in that battle, but himself and two comrades who wanted to engage in the fight went from Nashville and took part. About 300 soldiers, who, like Mr. Barlow, wanted to engage in this battle, were assigned to an Ohio regiment. Mr. Barlow's uncle, N.D. Smith, was first lieutenant of Company A, Fifty-third Indiana, and engaged in this battle, and Mr. Barlow intended to join him, but was unable to do so. Mr. Barlow and twenty-three others of his regiment, who took part in the battle at Atlanta, received a testimonial and certificate of the thanks of the president for honorable and gallant service in the Atlanta campaign. Mr. Barlow was sixteen days and nights in this campaign, with little rest from continual marching, often forced, and was in an almost continual skirmish, suffering greatly from exposure. At a stockade near Stevenson, he was with a detail of thirty men guarding a railroad bridge and here suffered from malaria caused by bad water. Mr. Barlow was in hospital but ten days, and served actively as a soldier all the time during his enlistment, was very much broken down, and on his return home was completely disabled, and has been unfitted for much labor since his service to his county. Out of fifteen men from the neighborhood from which he enlisted, called the “White Lick Neighborhood”, himself and one other were the only ones discharged from the service, or lived to return. The others were either killed or died of disease.
The next year after his return Mr. Barlow attended the academy at Danville one year, and then attended Wabash College at Crawfordsville not quite one year, his health breaking down. He then taught school during the years 1866-7 to 1878 inclusive, without the omission of one year. He traveled during the summer season selling supplies to the Odd Fellow lodges. In 1868 he bought a farm of twenty-four acres in Lincoln Township; then bought and sold several farms, and now owns 250 acres and one of the finest farms in Hendricks County, with fine improvements. In 1878-9 he was in the drug business in Brownsburg and sold out in 1879, and since has been engaged in farming, in which he has been successful. He married, May 17, 1871, Sarah E., daughter of Isaiah and Alvina (Hoadley) Hornaday. Mr. Hornaday was one of the original pioneers of Washington Township, being brought by his father, Ezekiel, when but two years of age, in 1822, March 13. They were from Ohio. Isaiah Hornaday was a substantial farmer and left a fine property at his death, which occurred June 30, 1894. He was a member of the Christian Church, and in politics a Republican. He reared a family of six children: Eliza J., Alva W., Abraham E., Sarah E., Mary S. and Rosella. Mr. Barlow, our subject, is a member of the I.O.O.F., at Brownsburg, No. 188, and has passed all the chairs, including that of noble grand; also a member of Plainfield encampment, and is past patriarch and high priest. He is an Odd Fellow of thirty years' standing, and wears badge 94, grand lodge U.S. Politically he is a stanch Republican. Mr. and Mrs. Barlow are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has been deacon for a number of years. Mr. Barlow is one of the old educators of Hendricks County, and has, perhaps, taught as many schools as any other teacher in the county, maintaining a high position as an educator and commanding the largest salary. He was a gallant soldier, and throughout his life, has been a practical and successful man, standing high for his integrity of character, honor and ability. Mr. Barlow has been president of the Old Settler's Association of Hendricks and adjoining counties for many years. He has taken a great interest in these matters and all things pertaining to the early history of the county. While president of this association he secured some of the best local talent to make their annual address, among them Ex-Gov. Porter and Gov. Matthews. He is one of the charter members of John A. Holly post, G.A.R., of Brownsburg, Ind., and is commander of Virgil H. Lyon post, No. 186, of Plainfield, which post he represented at the twenty-seventh national encampment at Indianapolis in 1893. Mr. Barlow descends from Revolutionary stock. Six of his great-uncles were with Washington at Valley Forge, and, on the maternal side, they were also soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Barlow had three uncles in the Civil War, Capt. David Hoadley, Henry C. Hoadley and John Hornaday, each of whom served three years.