In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printings (1899 and 1901) are folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1823
From Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (1901), History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day (v. 1) (1883), Encyclopedia of the history of St. Louis, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference (v. 1) (1899)
Barton Able was born in Trinity, Alexander Co., Ill., six miles above Cairo, on July 31, 1823. His father was of Irish descent, and settled about the year 1810 in Cape Girardeau, Mo., from which place he moved to Illinois in 1820. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and from 1830 to 1840 served with credit in the Illinois Legislature, among his colleagues being such men as Lincoln, Douglas, John Hogan, Jesse K. Dubois, Governor French, Col. J. T. Hardin, and James Shields. His mother was of Scotch parentage, bearing the name of the Camerons. Both parents died in 1840, and Barton at the age of seventeen, with few advantages of early education, was left to seek his fortune. In 1845 he left the old homestead and removed to St. Louis, where he arrived with one hundred dollars in money as his sole capital with which to start in life. After various efforts to obtain employment he at length shipped on board the Keokuk packet “ Ocean Wave” as receiving clerk at a salary of thirty dollars per month, holding the position two years, when he was chosen by the owners as captain at a salary of one hundred dollars per month, in place of Capt. Whitney, who retired. He continued in charge of the “ Ocean Wave” two years, when he assumed command of the steamers “ Time and Tide” and “ Cataract,” running them in the Illinois River trade until 1854, when he was transferred to the Missouri River trade, taking command of the steamers “ Cata rect” and “ Edinburgh.”
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Capt. Able, although in early life a Democrat, he came identified with the Free-Soil ticket, upon which he was elected to the Legislature in 1850. While in this position he put Col. Thomas H. Benton in nomination for the United States Senate, and cast the first vote ever given for emancipation in Missouri.
Capt. Able was an admirer of Benton to the extent almost of hero-worship. As a statesman, he was his model in the elements of haughty, defiant courage towards his enemies and congeniality and condescen sion to friends. In his intimate association with that great man, Capt. Able listened with appreciation to his writing invectives in rhetorical periods, and the contemptuous corn with which he rebuked treten tious opponents, and these masterpieces of his oratory Capt. Able could repeat with an imitation so perfect that those who heard the original pronounced it to be absolutely Bentonian, as regards voice, gesture, and even the very language. -
He was a Benton delegate to the Cincinnati Convention in 1856, which nominated Buchanan for President, and a delegate to the Chicago Convention in 1860, which nominated Lincoln, though the Missouri delegation was instructed for Edward Bates. He also accompanied Francis P. Blair and B. Gratz Brown to the Cincinnati Convention, which nominated Greeley in 1872. He was always a warm personal friend of President Andrew Johnson, from whom, unsolicited, he received the appointment of collector of internal revenue at St. Louis. In 1865, Capt. Able was elected president of the Merchants’ Exchange, in which position he acquitted himself with credit, his experience in commercial matters and skill as a par liamentarian being of a decided advantage to the mercantile community. He was also a member of the National Board of Trade for some years, and frequently represented that and the Merchants’ Exchange at Washington and in various conventions in the interests of Western trade and commerce.
Capt. Able was married in 1847 at Prairie de Rocher, Ill., to Miss Mary Ann Hailmon, daughter of Dr. David Hailmon, of Kaskaskia, who survived him, together with an adopted daughter. A brother,
I Capt. Daniel Able, of St. Louis, and a sister, the wife ' of Capt. N. S. Green, of Memphis, were the only j relatives that survived of his father’s family.
As printed in History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day (v. 1) (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Able, Barton, was born in Trinity, Alexander County, Illinois, July 31, 1823, and died in St. Louis, May 6, 1877. His father was of Irish descent, and his mother came of a Scotch family. Leaving home when he was seventeen years of age, Mr. Able started out to make his own way in the world, and in 1845 he had accumulated one hundred dollars capital, with which he came to St. Louis. Immediately after his coming here he became connected with the river business, as a clerk on the steamer "Ocean Wave.” Two years later he was made captain of this boat, and afterward, until 1854, commanded the steamers "Time and Tide" and "Cataract," then running in the Illinois trade. From 1854 to 1858 he was in the Missouri River trade, as captain of the steamers “Cataract” and "Edinburgh." From 1858 to 1864 he conducted a large commission house on the corner of Pine and Commercial Streets, in St. Louis. Thereafter, until the end of his life, he was prominently identified with the business interests of St. Louis, and during the year 1865 was president of the Merchants' Exchange. For some years he was a member of the National Board of Trade, and frequently represented the Merchants' Exchange at Washington, in the interest of Western trade and commerce. In the early years of his residence in St. Louis he began taking an interest in politics, and was one of the "oldline" Democrats who took part in the “Free Soil" movement in Missouri. In 1856 he was a member of the State Legislature, and while serving in that capacity he placed Thomas H. Benton in nomination for the United States Senate, and cast the first vote for “етапс!ра- tion" in this State. He was a Benton delegate to the Cincinnati Convention of 1856, which nominated Buchanan for President, and four years later sat in the Chicago Convention of the newly organized Republican party, which nominated Abraham Lincoln for President. When the Civil War began he became known as one of the ardent Unionists of Missouri, and rendered valuable services to the government. Не was the personal friend and confidant of General John A. Logan, and was by him placed in command of government transportation at St. Louis, in which capacity he had sole charge of the expedition which conveyed Lyon and Blair to Boonville. He also commanded the fleet that left St. Louis with General Fremont and the expedition to Cairo in 186r. At the close of the war he was among the first to favor a conciliatory policy in Missouri, and the restoration to ex- Confederates of the rights which they had previously enjoyed. He was a member of the Conservative delegation to the Baltimore Convention of 1864, and was chairman of the delegation sent from Missouri to the Philadelphia Convention of 1866, which met to consider the state of the country. In later years he was prominent in the councils of the Democratic party, and was a conspicuous figure in various National Conventions of that party. Captain Able married, in 1847, Miss Mary
Hamilton, of Kaskaskia, Illinois, who survived him.
As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of St. Louis, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference (v. 1) (1899). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Able, Barton, was born in Trinity, Alexander Cotmty, Illinois, July 31, 1823, and died in St. Louis, May 6, 1877. His father was of Irish descent, and his mother came of a. Scotch family. Leaving home when he was seventeen years of age, Mr. Able started out to make his own way in the world, and in 1845 he had accumulated one hundred dollars capital, with which he came to St. Louis. Immediately after his coming here he became connected with the river business, as a clerk on the steamer "Ocean Wave." Two years later he was made captain of this boat, and afterward, until 1854, commanded the steamers "Time and Tide" and "Cataract," then running in the Illinois trade. From 1854 to 1858 he was in the Missouri River trade, as captain of the steamers "Cataract" and "Edinburgh." From 1858 to 1864 he conducted a large commission house on the corner of Pine and Commercial Streets, in St. Louis. Thereafter, until the end of his life, he was prominently identified with the business interests of St. Louis, and during the year 1865 was president of the Merchants' Exchange. For some years he was a member of the National Board of Trade, and frequently represented the Merchants' Exchange at Washington, in the interest of Western trade and commerce. In the early years of his residence in St. Louis he began taking an interest in politics, and was one of the "oldline" Democrats who took part in the "Free Soil" movement in Missouri. In 1856 he was a member of the State Legislature, and while serving in that capacity he placed Thomas H. Benton in nomination for the United States Senate, and cast the first vote for "emancipation" in this State. He was a Benton delegate to the Cincinnati Convention of 1856, which nominated Buchanan for President, and four years later sat in the Chicago Convention of the newly organized Republican party, which nominated Abraham Lincoln for President. When the Civil War began he became known as one of the ardent Unionists of Missouri, and rendered valuable services to the government, and was the personal friend and confidant of General John A. Logan. He was entrusted with the command of government transportation at St. Loiris, in whicti capacity he had sole charge of the expedition which conveyed Lyon and Blair to Boonville. He also commanded the fleet that left St. Louis with General Fremont and the expedition to Cairo in 1861. At the close of the war he was among the first to favor a conciliatory policy in Missouri, and the restoration to ex- Confederates of the rights which they had previously enjoyed. He was a member of the Conservative delegation to the Baltimore Convention of 1864, and was chairman of the delegation sent from Missouri to the Philadelphia Convention of 1866, which met to consider the state of the country. In later years he was prominent in the councils of the Democratic party, and was a conspicuous figure in various National Conventions of that party. Captain Able married, in 1847, Miss Mary
As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Daniel Able (b. 1827) Edward Bates (b. 1703) Edwin Harrison (b. 1836) George Engelmann (b. 1809) P. Leduc
Their biographies name Barton Able: Joshua Henry Alexander (b. 1817) Frank L. Wright (b. 1854)
The printed record stops around 1901. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.