David Franklin Barkman

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

A conspicuous member of the legal fraternity of Morristown, David Franklin BARKMAN occupies a position in the respect and confidence of the community that is the result of his own abilities and integrity of character. He was born at Peapack, Somerset county, New Jersey, January 13, 1872, on his father’s farm. His parents are William P. and Sarah (LA TOURETTE) BARKMAN, both of them natives of Somerset county, and born in 1837. They still live there in the homestead that has been in the LA TOURETTE family for four generations. They had six children, four of whom are still living:

John,
William F.,
Susie L.,
David Franklin.

The names of those who died were

Sara F.;
Elizabeth, who died in childhood.

The paternal grandfather of David F. BARKMAN was David F. BARKMAN, who was born in New Germantown, New Jersey, and was a carpenter, contractor and drover, dying at the age of seventy-eight years. The maternal grandfather was Peter LA TOURETTE, who was born on the old homestead already mentioned.

A country-bred boy, Mr. BARKMAN gained in his early youth the ordinary education of the public schools of his neighborhood, and had in addition to that the great advantages of the out-of-doors life, and the acquaintance with nature at first hand which is the happy lot of the farmer’s boy. The stock of health and vitality he stores up at this time never fails to give him undoubted advantage over his city-bred competitor in later years. From the district schools of Somerset county he went to Raritan, New Jersey, and there further pursued his studies. His ambitions had already shown an intellectual trend, and he had quietly made up his mind to take as his life-work the profession of law. In pursuance of this determination he obtained a position as a teacher, this having the advantage of giving him some time for study, and at the same time enabling him to lay by money for later needs. He taught for three years on Somerset county, and then entered upon the study of law with W. W. CUTLER, of Morristown. He worked at his tasks with the unflagging energy and devotion that are the keynote of his character, and in the June term, 1897, he was admitted to the bar as attorney, receiving his license as counsellor in the February term of 1901; and as a master of chancery, April 18, 1898. He began at once, upon his admission to the bar to practice, opening an office in Morristown and steadily building up for himself a professional reputation that is second to none in the city. The success that he has met testifies sufficiently to his abilities, to his legal acumen, and to his conscientious devotion to work. His scrupulous fidelity to the interests of his clients receives its rewards in the constantly growing patronage that his office gains year by year. He has always elected to practice alone, his office being located in the Babbitt Building. In addition to his law practice he has devoted considerable attention to the development of building lots in Morris Plains, and has also erected several houses in Morristown. He resides at No. 169 Speedwell avenue; the name of his residence, "The Orchard," being derived from the fact that the land years ago was called the Vail orchard, which consisted of about forty-six acres of land with dwelling and out-buildings, the buildings occupying a central location on the grounds which are well supplied with shrubbery and shade trees. Mr. BARKMAN has laid out a fine tennis court and in other ways improved and beautified the grounds. He was a tax collector for Morristown for two terms of three years each. He is a Republican in his political faith. His is a member of the Royal Arcanum.

He married at Gladstone, New Jersey, June 20, 1900, Luetta H. KENNEDY, a native of Somerset county, whose parents, Henry L. and Harriet KENNEDY, are now living retired in Morristown. Mr. and Mrs. BARKMAN have one child,

Leilia K., born July 25, 1903,

and now attending the private school of Miss SUTPHEN, in Morristown.

This biography was transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003).