Thomas Barker Page Two

My great-uncle Wilbur T. Barker was born in 1884. He was my grandma’s brother. He lived in San Diego, and as far as all  my family knew, emigrated to San Diego about 1914 from Pittsburgh, married  Aunt Nellie, and had no children.. He was soft-spoken and well dressed. His wife was known as being “ a little off.” Thanks to our website and cyberspace, Uncle Wilbur was “re-discovered” ! His granddaughter Ann McDonald  found us !! Uncle Wilbur turns out to be the grandfather of 5 children, including Ann! Before coming to San Diego, he had married Laura Harrison and had 2 children , Beatrice and Dorothy. He had deserted them in Pittsburgh.  What a surprise,  a skeleton found in our closet after 90 years !! His real name was William Thomas Barker. On our visit to Texas, we met one of the grandchildren, Earnest Jamison, son of  daughter Beatrice.

L. to R. Wilbur’s daughter Beatrice F. Jamison , first wife Laura , and other daughter Dorothy B. McDonald , about  1926 in Pittsburgh. 

 R.  Uncle Wilbur’s other sister, Beatrice, taken in 1925 at the ranch of her father Thomas Barker, in San Diego. She was showing off her furs and the Calif. fruit, lemons in the background.

 This is Beatrice Barker Jamison in around 1960. She strongly resembles her grandfather’s niece and name-sake, Wilberta Roth. She also looks similar to Wilbur’s sister, my grandmother Edith. She even resembles my mother, Dee Roth Marchese, in the face.

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Above picture is of Marlene Robershaw visiting with Wilbur’s grandson, Ernest  Jamison who lives in Aransas, Texas. We were able to visit cousin Earnest in June of 2004. He has a strong resemblance to grandpa Wilbur (William).