James Albert Barber

James Albert Barber
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

This is a photograph of James Albert BARBER, one of my 2nd great grandfathers. As you can see by this photograph he is wearing the Medal of Honor awarded to him for his service in the Civil War.

David Lambert of NEHGS in Boston gives an excellent talk on Tracing Your Civil War Ancestors. He looked at this photograph and told me the button in his lapel was made by the GAR out of metal from the melted cannons of the enemy.

James was the son of a farmer and after the war he was a mariner. Family tells me that he harvested and sold seaweed which was used for fertilizer.

James was a direct descendant of George Soule who came here on the Mayflower.