Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 
1886. Barren County.

HON. JAMES RUSSELL BARRICK (deceased), was born April 9, 1829, in Barren 
County, Ky.  His father, Russell Barrick, was a native of Virginia, of 
Scotch ancestry, and came with his parents to Kentucky between 1790 and 
1800; his wife (subject's mother) was of Irish descent, and a sister of 
Terence Cooney, the first proprietor of the Louisville Journal, with 
whom George D. Prentice was associated when he first came West. She was 
born in Virginia, and moved to Kentucky with her father's family about 
the latter part of the last century.  James R. Barrick received his 
early education at a select school taught by a noted Methodist divine, 
Rev. Nat Lee; when he was about ten years old, his sister married James 
P. Bates, afterward a renowned jurist and politician, and James R. then 
went to Glasgow to reside with her; and from that time until he entered 
active business life he was a member of the Bates family. He attended 
for a short time Urania College, but never graduated, so that his fine 
scholastic attainments were acquired without the aid of teachers, but by 
his own untiring energy and industry.  In 1845, being then only sixteen 
years old, he was appointed postmaster at Glasgow, which office he held 
for fifteen successive years.  After entering upon his duties he devoted 
considerable time and attention to the study of medical chemistry and 
the theory of medicine, and in 1840 engaged in the drug trade, which he 
followed with marked success until the breaking out of the civil war.  
He also paid some attention to agriculture, was president of the Barren 
County Agricultural Society, a director of the Kentucky State 
Agriculture Society, and president of the Barren County Railroad.  He 
early began the composition of verse, and before reaching his majority 
was quite a frequent contributor to the poet's column of the Louisville 
Journal, as well as to many other papers of lesser note.  His literary 
efforts attracted the attention and elicited the warmest praises of some 
of the most noted authors and critics of the country, prominent among 
whom was the renowned George G. Prentice, who never lost an opportunity 
of bestowing on the young poet the most enthusiastic praises. Mr. 
Barrick early espoused the principles of the Democratic party, to which 
he adhered unwaveringly through life.  He was not an office seeker, but 
in 1859, at the solicitation of his friends, he accepted the nomination 
and was elected State senator from Barren and Monroe Counties, to fill 
out the unexpired term of Hon. William M. Wilson. At the outbreak of the 
civil war he espoused the cause of the South, and when the southern 
element in Kentucky formed a provisional government at Russellville, he 
was chosen one of a council of ten. Upon the evacuation of Bowling Green 
by Gen. Johnston, he accompanied the army southward, and remained with 
it until after the battle of Shiloh; it was his intention to enter the 
service, but his feeble health prevented the fulfilment of his desires. 
During the war he was at one time editor of the Telegraph and 
Constitution, and at another of the Macon Journal and Messenger; and it 
was then, also, that some of his first and most touching poems were 
written.  After the war he moved to Atlanta, Ga., where he resumed his 
occupation of druggist, and at the same time was associate editor of 
Scott's Monthly Magazine. Shortly after he abandoned the drug business 
to take charge of the Atlanta Constitution, which he edited until his 
death, April 30, 1869.  The large number of journals all over the 
country that took up the intelligence and noted the event, attest that 
his fame was not merely local; and the touching allusions to his work 
and character bear testimony to the esteem in which he was held.  He had 
contributed extensively to the best periodicals, not only of the South 
and West but also of the North.  Mr. Barrick married, June 15, 1851, 
Mrs. Louann B. Ellis, also a native of Barren County, and their union 
was blessed by four children: Green Moss, Rosa, Minnie May and Thomas 
Russell. In early life, Mr. Barrick joined the Presbyterian Church, of 
which he was a devoted member until his death.
  
Barrick Bates Cooney Ellis Johnston Lee Prentice Scott Wilson
=
Atlanta-GA Bowling Green-Warren Louisville-Jefferson Monroe 
Russellville-Logan VA

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