Barr Cash and Package Carrier Company

Samuel W. Barr was born at Haggerstown, Md. on 20 July 1829, the son of Col. Jacob Barr. He was one of the gold seekers of [18]49 in the Californian El Dorado and then became well known as an inventor. He invented the Little Giant plow and in 1885 a cash and package carrier. He died at 10 am on the 20th of January, 1903 at his home at 58 West Fourth Street, Mansfield, Ohio. (Mansfield News 20 Jan. 1903, p.6)

With his brother, Jacob Harrison Barr, he set up the Barr Cash and Package Carrier Company in Mansfield. Jacob was born on 20 August 1838 and lived to at least 90. (Mansfield News, 20 August 1928).

There was a law suit between the Barr Company and W.S.Lamson in 1888 regarding a derogatory circular - see Court Cases. The Barr Company took out a patent in 1891. The Grand Leader store of McLeansboro, Ill. had a Barr system in 1900.

A notice in the Clothier and Furnisher (date unknown) announced that "G.S.Powell, manager of the Barr Cash and Package Carrier Co., 132 Clark st., would be pleased to illustrate their system to all merchants visiting Chicago." ( p.86)

Another mention in the press was: "Agent of the Barr Cash Carrier, of Mansfield, made a trip to this town on last Friday, with a view of placing in our stores a cash carrier; but met with poor success, our merchants had to state the fact that business was so dull that they would not be justified in adding such an improvement." (Ohio Democrat [New Philadelphia], 24 Apr. 1890, p.1)

In 1889, the stock of the Barr company was sold to Lamsons (New York Times, 7 Dec. 1889) and Samuel Barr received a large payout. The name of the company was retained, however, and in 1907 there was a court case against Brooks-Ozan Mercantile Co. at the Supreme Court of Arkansas.