Almost all Bares (and Bears, Baers, Bars, Barrs, etc) in the United States are descendants of people who immigrated into Leacock County, Pennsylvania with the Mennonites sometime between 1717 and 1734. It appears that one group immigrated from Switzerland in 1717, and some immigrated from Germany around 1734. But, according to several researchers and genealogists, all originally started in Switzerland with the name Bärr (which became Bär, then Bar, and finally became the various spellings of Bare. During the early years the same family, and sometimes one person, frequently used multiple spellings of Bare as their surname.)
This article contains an account of the various roles performed by the Bare / Bear / Barr / Baer / Bar family during those early years in Leacock County or other parts of Pennsylvania. Please note that around 1795 - 1800 family members that started my branch of the Bare family moved to North Carolina. But many of the Bare family members stayed in Pennsylvania, some of whom became prominent members of local society.
In 1729 Lancaster County was organized in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 1764 the Penn family granted land in Lancaster County to John Henry Bare. Then, in 1780 John Henry’s son, Andrew Bare, founded Bareville.[1] You can read more about Bareville in the article "The History of Bareville, Pa".
A provision of the American Association (created by the American colonies) called for a Committee of Observation in every county, city, or town “qualified to vote for Representatives in the Legislature”. On December 15, 1774 voters of Lancaster County met “to choose by ballot sixty proper persons for a committee to observe the conduct of all persons touching the general association of the general Congress”. They were charged to watch people in their district and report any actions that might seem disloyal to the Association of the Continental Congress. Those elected to the committee included Martin Bare, Samuel Bear, and Jacob Bare.[2]
One of the Mennonite meeting-houses in Lampeters were built by the New Mennonites. In 1767 Mellinger’s Meeting-House is on the tract of land originally patented to Martin Bare. The name of the church comes from Martin Mellinger, a prominent Mennonite, who married a daughter of Christian Bare. [3]
In 1782 Jacob Bear was a Captain in the Militia of the county of Lancaster, Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War.[4]
In 1821, Lancaster county was instrumental in repealing an act of congress referring to the revenue or taxes on whiskey. At this time, whiskey was produced by many of the large farms of Lancaster County. At a meeting pm September 13, 1821, it was brought out that Lancaster County paid more taxes to the general government than any other county in the Union, and it equaled that of some 4 or 5 states put together. A committee was established to draw up and circulate a petition to Congress, asking to pass a law authorizing repayment of those taxes and fines. As a result of this committee petition, an act was passed to refund taxes on globes of stills. Two of the committee members were Adam Bare and Henry Bear.[5]
Reverend Joseph Barr became the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster in 1821. In 1823 he became the pastor of the Presbyterian churches of Leacock and Middle Octorara. Joseph then became the first pastor of the Presbyterian Congregation at Strasburg around 1833. Starting in 1838, once a month he preached in English once at the Reformed Church of Heller’s. (The regular services being in German.) [6]
In 1828, Michael B Barr became one of the founding members of the Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, Colerain Township.[7]
John Barr was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge No. 286 chartered in 1853. It may be claimed that Freemasonry in North American began in Pennsylvania around 1727.[8]
John Bear was on of the first trustees for the Mount Nebo Presbyterian Church built in 1854.[9]
Prior to 1859, D.S. Bare, Barton B Martin, and Reverend L.M. Hobbs felt that educational training was inadequate in Millersville. They, along with other progressive citizens, formulated a plan for an institution of learning, which resulted in the brining of a “State Normal School” to Millersville.[10]
During the Civil War, 1861 – 1865, Jacob K. Bar was listed as B, 79th P.V. in the Roll of Honor of George H Thomas Post, No 84, Department of Pennsylvania, G.A. R.[11]
In 1865, Daniel Mathias Bare, along with John Eby and John Morrison began building a paper mill in Spang’s Mill, PA. Operations began in 1866 but a boiler explosion and fire caused the mill to be rebuilt. Production resumes in spring of 1867. In 1868 the town was renamed to Roaring Spring. By mid-1887, the paper mill, called either the Roaring Spring Mill or D.M. Bare and Company, was once again up and running. However, that September a neighboring fire spread and destroyed the rebuilt plant and machinery. In 1888 they were once again producing. In 1946 it was purchased by the Combined Locks Paper Company. There have been several domestic and foreign owners since that time and it is now known as Appvion, Inc.[12]
William L Bare was elected secretary of the newly established Lancaster County Y.M.C.A. in 1870. It was established as an “association for young men” in Lancaster County.[13]
Frank H Bare established a tobacco resweating business in 1881 and conducted it until his death in 1914. Frank’s sons F Ross Bare and Martin A Bare worked for him, and Ross became well connected with Lancaster’s tobacco industry.[14]
In May 1882, Millard E Barr became one of the trustees for the Limeville Church, one of the churches that were part of The Original Mount Carmel United Brethren Church.[15]
In 1883 the Lancaster County Women’s Christian Temperance Union was organized. Mrs. Eva G Barr was president of the Columbia union, and Mrs. Lulu Barr was president of the Lancaster union.[16]
The Lancaster City and County Medical Society was organized on January 14, 1884. Members of that society included Adam S Bare and Emanuel S. Baer.[17]
In 1886 Daniel M. Bare and George W. Cross build a small blank book factory called the Roaring Spring Blank Book Company. A new enterprise was formed with additional partners, and Daniel M Bare became president of the company.[18]
In 1887 Ira H. Bare was elected secretary and treasurer of the J. Walter Miller Company. This company owned and ran a foundry for the making of brass and bronze castings and the manufacturer of locks, piano hardware and many other specialties for other manufacturers of Lancaster and the larger cities of the United States.[19]
Daniel M Bare and partners in a new firm built the Roaring Spring Planing Mill in 1887. In 1897 DM Bare and Company purchased the entire company.[20]
In 1988 Daniel M Bare and partners built the Park Hotel, which became the Nason Hospital.[21]
Reverend N.A Barr was the pastor of the Adamstown Circuit of the Evangelical Church from 1889 – 1892.[22]
About 1892, B Frank Barr, son of Benjamin M Barr and his wife Lydia (McMullen) Barr, became a prominent, progressive, and successful florist. He was the owner of one of the largest and best-established flower stores in Lancaster, which included nurseries, offices, greenhouses, and a one-hundred acre nursery where he also lived. After adding a nursery and mail order departments he began trading as B.F. Barr and Company.[23]
In 1898 Mrs. E.J. Barr consecrated her home to be an orphanage for the Lancaster Mission of the Brethren in Christ church. It remained an orphanage until 1901.[24]
In the early part of the 1900s, Anna Meda Bear, daughter of Ivan S and Emma C (Bard) Bare married John W. Sommer, a member of the Masonic order. He and his brother were among the Masons present at the laying of the cornerstone of the Masonic Home at Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He was also a member of St Michael’s Church of Strasburg and a Republican.[25]
In 1902 Daniel M Bare became one of the founding stockholders and the president of the Roaring Spring Bank.[26i]
Charles Bear was one of the trustees for the St James Congregation, a Lutheran Church built in 1905.[27]
Dr Harry K Bear was a dental surgeon in Lancaster around 1918.[28]
Footnotes:
[1] Upper Leacock Township website https://www.ultwp.com/about-us/pages/history
[2] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[3] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[4] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[5] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[6] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[7] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[8] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[9] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[10] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[11] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[12] http://rspaperproducts.com/about/ and https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/appvions-roaring-spring-mill-to-celebrate-its-150th-anniversary-october-7-300339968.html
[13] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[14] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[15] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[16] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[17] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[18] Looking Eighty Years Backward and a History of Roaring Spring, Pa, by Daniel Mathias Bare, https://books.google.com/books?id=VtcwAQAAMAAJ
[19] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[20] Looking Eighty Years Backward and a History of Roaring Spring, Pa, by Daniel Mathias Bare, https://books.google.com/books?id=VtcwAQAAMAAJ
[21] Looking Eighty Years Backward and a History of Roaring Spring, Pa, by Daniel Mathias Bare, https://books.google.com/books?id=VtcwAQAAMAAJ
[22] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[23] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[24] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[25] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[26] Looking Eighty Years Backward and a History of Roaring Spring, Pa, by Daniel Mathias Bare, https://books.google.com/books?id=VtcwAQAAMAAJ
[27] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein
[28] From “Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History: Editor-in-chief, H. M. J. Klein”, edited by Harry Martin John Klein