Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-29
the OLDEsTPRIETRR IN TEN
NEsSEE or TIE SOUTH
shuts Up His Ofice In Knox
willie, Alter Working sixty
seven Years.
Knoxville Tribune, Is,

.uuNM AMMZ 1Anll - AAAA1A"
VILE, Alter Working sixty
seven Years.
Knoxville Tribune, Is.
As We passed BY the old Cowan
block yesterday, going up Gay street,
We noticed an unusual commotion in
Blrry's printing Office. Going in, We
saw that the type and other printing
material Of the Office was being boxed
up. Upon inquiring the cause, We
we're informed by the venerable pro-
prietor, Hiram Barry, Esq, that on
account Of declining health he had
decided to close his job office and sus-
pend business. He added, however,
quite cheeriully that he hoped he
would sufficiently regain his health to
enable him to soon resume his bust
ness. 1t was evident that the old gem
tleman was very reluctant to give up
the ayocation which he has followed
industriously for more than three
score years in Knoxville. As he with
feeble hands assisted the men in pack
ing away the old time types we im>
Agined he must feel as
man would feel who is assisting
to nail the coffin lid over the silent re-
mains Of the best friend Of his youth.
Many Of these types the good old man
had picked up a thousand times, and
letter by letter. d tastefully and cares
fully formed them into words, senten-
ces, paragraphs and articles. These
cold types whose living impressions
have been read by thousands aud
thousands Of people in East Tennes-
see, are idle now, having, like their
owner, served their age aud fulfilled
their calling. Many Of them will never
again be used by mortal hand. The
other equipments of the Office are be.
ing packed away, and after awhile will
| probably be sold.
As we stood and watched the work
we drew the venerableman into q con-
versation, and he related to us many
incidents connected with the printing
business in Knoxville in ye oldon time
when this city was but village. Mr..
Barry is the oldest printer in the
State, and so far as we know the oldest
| in the South. At least we are quite
sure there is no other printer now
working at the trade who has been
working at it continuously for sixty
seven years.
Hiram Barry was born in Loudon
county, Virginia, January %, 1902. and
was the oldest Of family Of six chill
dren. His father, William Barry,was
a tailor by trade. When Hiram was
only a few months old his parents
moved with him to Georgia, probably
stopping in South Carolina for few
months or year. They lived in Geor-
gia, most OF the time in Hancock
county, for about ten years. The fam
lily came from Tennessee, when Hiram
was about eleven years old. His IA
Their was a soldier in the war Of 1872
and served till the close OF the war.
The father lost bis health in the army
and never recovered. He died Janu-
airy 4, 1916, leaving a widow and six
children, three boys and three girls,
Hiram being the eldest. With his
mothers permission he came to Knox
vile TO learn the printers trade. He
entered the Office Of Heiskell 4 Brown
December Is, 1916, never having seen
a type or printing press. This was
| the Office OF theI Knoxville Register.
which paper had been started only a
few months before, and which exists
now as the Tribune. Mr.. Barry says
that when he first saw the bright new
types in the little boxes in the cases
he thought they we're tacks or small
nails. The types and the cases we're
explained TO him and in half an hour
after he entered the Office, he took bis
composing stick and went to work.
Before dinner time be had set a whole
stickful Of matter. When proof was
taken oft there was only one mistake
in his whole mornings work and that
was only the displacement Of pune
tuation point.
Mr.. Barry served out his appren-
tioeship Of FIVE years in the Register
Office and after that worked in the Of,
fee two years or more as a journeymsn
printer. He was then made foreman
Of the Weekly Enquirer, a new paper
which was started by King 4 Akin.
AT the end Of two years Mr.. Barry
bought Atkins interest in the paper
and for year or two it was owned by
King x Barry. King then sold out
and the firm became Springfield &
Barry. Mr.. Barry then sold his
interest 10 Springfield, but continS
ued to be foreman Of the office.
Mr.. Barry afierward leased the
paper and published it through the
jackson and Adams campaigns as a
Wing paper. This was the first Wing
paper ever published in Knoxville,
and at that time there were only
eighty Wings in Knox county. The
Enquirer had about a hundred sub.
scribers in Nashville aud about hun
dred more in New Orleans, but Mr.
Barry informs US that most OF these
subscriptions were never paid. After
this campaign John r. Nelson and
Jacob Hardin took charge Of the En-
quirer and Mr.. Barry was its foreman
until the paper finally suspended. He
then became foreman OF the Register
which about this time was purchased
BY W. b. Ramsey and Robert Craig.
head, and was with it until the Regis
ter was sold to Humes & Orozier and
consolidated with the Times.
In 1910, Hiram Barry started a Job
printing Office. 1t was located on thC
, northeast corner Of Main and Prince
streets IN little brick building, on
! lot which is now part Of the court
: house square. The next year hi
moved across the two streets to thu
southwest corner into the woOder
building which is still standing. Her,
, the sign Of II. Barry, JOB Printer
hung for more than IS years. Herr
was for many years the finest Job Office
10 East Tennessee, and its owner
I, Hiram Barry, was acknowledged to b.
Q the most careful and accurate iol
| printer in the State. About Eve wears
ago Mr.. Barry decided to get nearel
the business center Of the city. II,
b moved his Office To the old Cowar
!, block, near the corner Of Gay ant
/ Main streets, where it has been ii
operation until closed yesterday.
Mr.. Barry is now nearly eighty,tw,
years old. He has been a printer 70
:, sixty-seven years, and has been con
y Quoting a job printing business Of hi
q own TOR forty three years. In 1852 b.
y was elected Trustee Of Knox count
4 and held the Office for sixteen years 4
/ succession. The last time he was
= candidate he was defeated by the Rad
q cal League. The business Of III
d Trustees Office was conducted by Mi
Barry with scrupulous accuracy, an
his accounts ALWAYS balanced N