The ancestor of this family came to Massachusetts for the same purpose as nearly every other person did who settled in New England at that time - the opportunity to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. The family was represented in the colonial wars and largely in the revolution, not a few serving in official capacities. For nearly three centuries it has had a creditable and honorable standing among the sturdy yeomen of New England.

(I) Edward Barney, of Bradenham, Bucks county, England, in his will dated 1643, makes a bequest to his son Jacob, "if he is living at the time of my death and come over to England."

(II) Jacob, immigrant ancestor of the family, said to have been son of Edward Barney, was born about 1600, and came from Swansea, Wales, to Salem, Mass. about 1630. He resided in that town, where he was a tailor, was made freeman May 14, 1734, and was representative to the general court in 1635-38-47-53.
He died in Salem, April 28, 1763, aged seventy-two years. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, survived him. A well-known writer says of Jacob: "He was an intelligent merchant, often selectman, and deputy to the general court, 1635-38-47-65, and served on the first grand jury that ever sat in this country. The loss of such men as Mr. Barney is not easily supplied."
Children:
Jacob (mentioned below), Sarah, Hannah and John, the last named died young.

(III) Jacob (2), eldest child of Jacob (1) and Elizabeth Barney and the only son suriving childhood, was born in England, and died at Rehoboth, Mass., Feb. 12, 1692. Some authorities say he was born in Wales. In the earlier records of Massachusetts he is styled "hubandman." He became a Baptist minister, founded churches at Charlestown and Swansea, Mass., and was among the founder of the first Baptist Church of Boston in 1668. He removed from Salem, Mass. in 1673 or later, and resided in Bristol (now Rhode Island) and Rehoboth, Mass., where his will was made July 13, 1692, and proved Feb. 20, following year.
He married (first) in Salem, Aug. 18, 1657, Hannah Johnson, who died June 5, 1659; (second) at Lynn, April 26, 1660, Ann, daughter of John and Sarah Witt, who was executrix of his will and died March 17, 1701, in Rehoboth.
Children:
Hannah, Sarah, John, Abigail, Jacob, Ruth, Dorcas, Joseph (mentioned below), Israel, Jonathan, Samuel and Hannah. The last four born after he left Salem.

(IV) Joseph, third son of Jacob and Ann (Witt) Barney, was born March 9, 1673, in Salem, and lived in Swansea, and later in Rehoboth, where he died Feb. 5, 1731. He was a lieutenant in the militia.
He married, in 1692, Constance, born March 9, 1674, in Haverhill, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Eaton) Davis.
Children:
Elizabeth, born 1693; married 1714, Joseph Mason.
David, 1697, married 1726, Else Wheaton.
Joseph, 1700, married 1776, Joanna Martin. [transcriber's note: you realize this makes him 77 at his wedding. I wonder if it's a typo.]
John, mentioned below.
Ann, died young.
Esther, 1707.
Sarah, 1710, married, 1732, John Davis.
Ann, 1713.

(V) John, son of Joseph and Constance (Davis) Barney, was born in 1703, and resided in Rehoboth, married (intentions published March 8, 1729) Hannah Clark, of Swanzey.
Children:
John, mentioned below.
Aaron, born April 12, 1734, married Dec. 13, 1753, Susannah Carpenter.
Hannah, born April 10, 1738.
Esther, May 24, 1743.

(VI) John (2), eldest child of John (1) and Hannah (Clark) Barney, was born May 1, 1730, in Rehoboth, Mass., and there married (intentions published Oct. 15, 1748) Rebecca, born Dec. 21, 1729, in Rehoboth, second daughter of Edward and Rebeckah (Peck) Martin. There is some evidence that he lived for a time in Pomfret, Conn., and about 1764 settled in Guilford, Vermont, being one of the pioneers of that town. He was superintendent of the town in 1772-73 and 1774, collector and highway commissioner, in 1777 fence viewer, also served as overseer of the poor and was a member of the committee to sell land belonging to the town. In 1786 his account as collector was not allowed. The records are silent as to the subsequent settlement. He was a member of the committee sent to Windsor to consider the interests of the town in the formation of the new state.
Children:
Edward, born Aug. 18, 1749.
Rebecca, Oct. 2, 1751.
John, mentioned below.
Hannah, July 26, 1755.
James, March 18, 1757.
all recorded in Rehoboth.

(VII) John (3), second son of John (2) and Rebecca (Martin) Barney, was born Sept. 25, 1753, in Rehoboth, Mass., and lived in Guilford, Vermont, whither he went with his father. His wife's name was Ruth, as shown by the family records, but her birth and parentage remain undiscovered to the present time. No record of their children appears. He was a soldier of the revolution, from Guilford, being a member of Captain Comfort Starr's militia company of that town, and served during the arlarm of October, 1780, receiving as pay two shillings eight pence, with travel fees nine shillings four pence, making a total of twelve shillings.

(VIII) John (4), son of John (3) and Ruth Barney, was born 1776, in Guilford, Vermont, and was an early resident of Henderson, Jefferson county, New York, whence he removed to Waukesha, Wisconsin, and there died in 1863.
He married Sarah Grow.
Children:
Lucius, resided in Euclid, Ohio.
Sabine.
Danford Newton, mentioned below.
Tamsen.
Moselle.
Miranda, wife of Frank Thompson of Waukesha.
Ashbel H., a businessman of Cleveland and New York.
Sarah.

(IX) Danford Newton, son of John (4) and Sarah (Grow) Barney, was born March 4, 1808, in Henderson, where he grew up on a farm. When a young man he went to Sackets Harbor and became a cashier in a bank. Subsequently he located in Cleveland, Ohio, where he became a produce merchant and was engaged in shipping. From there he went to Buffalo, N.Y., and was occupied in the same manner, being also the proprietor of a bank. Everything shows him to have been a superior business man. He received flattering inducements to settle in New York City, whither he went about 1856 and engaged in the banking and experss business, becoming president of Wells Fargo & Company, a concern extensively engaged in the express and banking business, and still thus engaged througout the United States.
Mr. Barney died at the Windsor Hotel, in New York, March 8, 1874 . He was one of the originators of the elevated railroad project in New York City, and was identified with many other enterprises of large scope.
In political matters he acted with the Democratic party, but was essentially a private citizen, with no political aspirations.
He married (first), Oct. 8, 1833, Cynthia Maria, eldest daughter of Peter Newcomb and Sally (Kellogg) Cushman, who resided in Henderson from 1807 to 1837, when they removed to Waukesha, Wisconsin. Mrs. Barney was born July 26, 1807, in Plainfield, N.Y., and died Aug. 5, 1843, at Cleveland. He married (second) Jan. 26, 1847, Azubah Latham, born in North Thetford, Vermont, Aug. 16, 1819, died Dec. 4, 1875, daughter of William Harris and Azubah (Jenks) Latham. She survived her husband about one year.
Children of first marriage:
Danford Newton, died 1861, at Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Sarah Maria, wife of Russell Sturgis, died May 1, 1910, in New York.
Newcomb Cushman, mentioned below.
Children of second wife:
Arthur Latham, mentioned below.
Bell, (Mrs. Walter Scott Gurnee of New York).
Lucy Latham, wife of John B. Mott, resides in Bellport, Long Island. (See Cushman).

(X) Newcomb Cushman, second son of Danford Newton and Cynthia M. (Cushman) Barney, was born May 10, 1839, in Sackets Harbor, N.Y., and soon after went with his parents to Ohio. He attended school in Painesville, that state, and for three years, from fourteen to seventeen years of age, he was a studewnt at Mount Pleasant Military Academy, Sing Sing, New York. When eighteen years old he entered the employ of Wells Fargo & Company, as clerk, where he continued about five years. In 1868 he established himself as a broker in Wall street, as a partner of Puleston, Raymond & Company, afterwards Barney, Raymond & Company, brokers in stocks and bonds, and continued there about twenty years.
For many years Mr. Barney was interested in the mining industry, and was president and manager of various gold mines in Idaho, but is now (1910) retired from active connection with all business enterprises. He maintains an office on Broadway, and his time is occupied with the care of several estates.
He is identified with numerous leading clubs in New York, including the Union League, Downtown and Ste. Marguerite Salmon Club, being secretary and treasurer of the last named. He is a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, of the National Historical Society, of the Zoological Society, Geographical Society, and Society of Mayflower Descendants.
He is independent of political obligations, and takes little part in political movements.
He married, June 1, 1864, Elizabeth Sturgis, born Jan. 10, 1837, in London, England, daughter of William and ___ (Hinckley) Sturgis, who died Oct. 8, 1905. They were the parents of one daughter and three sons; one of the latter died at the age of twenty-one years, and the other two in infancy. The surviving daughter, Elizabeth Cynthia, is wife of Dr. John L. Buel, of Litchfield, Conn., and has a daughter, Katherine Barney Buel.

(X) Arthur Latham, third son of Danford Barney, and eldest child of his second wife, Azubah (Jenks) Latham, was born Aug. 24, 1849, in Buffalo, and reared in vicinity of New York City. He attended private schools at Danbury, Conn., at Irvington, N.Y., and other points, and after one and a half years in Union College at Schenectady as member of the class of 1870, he was compelled by ill health to abandon his studies. Soon after this he began his business career in the employ of Wells Fargo & Company, in New York City, and was subsequently associated with Puleston, Raymond & Company, afterwards Barney, Raymond & Company, stock and bond brokers in Wall Street, New York.
For several years he has been retired from active business management, but is interested in various enterprises, and maintains an office in the City National Bank building, Wall street, New York.
His home is at Irvington-on-Hudson. Though not an active politician, he adheres to the precepts of his fathers and supports the Democratic party in most cases. He is a member of the Ste. Marguerite Salmon Club, and finds most of his recreation upon the waters of the northern wilds.
He married, June 15, 1871, Helen Avery, born Nov. 3, 1850, at Farminerville (Farmer Village), Seneca county, New York, daughter of John Barber and Elizabeth (Starkweather) Avery. The only child of this marriage, Azubah Latham Barney, born Sept. 13, 1873, is wife of Reginald Jaffray, of Irvington, a grandson of E. S. Jaffrey, for many years the leading dry goods merchant in New York City and a son of Howard S. Jaffray. John B. Avery was born in 1808, in Aurora, N.Y., and his wife in 1812, in Steuben county, same state.

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