This farm has been in our family since 1854. It is part of the acreage owned by my great-grandparents, Augustus & Clarissa Barber. Augustus died in 1878. After his death Clarissa gave this 40 acres to my grandparents, Europe & Melissa Barber. Europe built a two room house, barn & other outbuildings on the land. Several siblings of both my grandparents had moved west. In 1885 my grandparents, with their 5 children, moved to Steele City, Nebraska, where some of Melissa's siblings had settled. In 1887 they relocated to Pawnee County, Kansas, where Europe's sister and family had settled. They lived in a sod house, where 2 more children were born, until 1893. In 1893 Europe made the run in the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush. He staked a claim but they stayed only 2 months before moving back to Illinois. The move was again by covered wagon and took them 6 weeks. Once settled again on their 40 acres Europe built 3 more rooms onto the 2 room house. Our father, John Barber, was born there in 1895. Except for service in World War I he lived his entire life on this farm. Dad married our mother, Gladys Coffey, in 1921. My 4 older brothers, my sister and I were all born in this house. I was born there in 1934. The barn & other outbuildings were gone when this picture was taken. The home is also gone and it's now all cropland. I still own the farm and it is registered as an Illinois Centennial Farm.