Representative Noyes Barber

Noyes Barber (April 28, 1781 – January 3, 1844) was an American military veteran and politician who served seven terms as a United States representative from Connecticut from 1821 to 1835. As a member of the Unknown Party representing Connecticut, Noyes Barber contributed to the legislative process during seven terms in office. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, during which he participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents.

Barber was born in Groton, Connecticut, on April 28, 1781, the son of John Barber and Elizabeth (Denison) Barber. He attended the common schools of his native town, receiving a basic education typical of the era. As a young man he engaged in mercantile pursuits, establishing himself in business in Groton. In 1801 he married Catherine Burdick; the couple had two children, Adeliade Barber and Betsey Ann Barber Copp. After Catherine’s death in 1813, Barber married Mary Chester Smith in 1814. With his second wife he had two additional children, Mary Elizabeth Barber Whitman and John Starr Barber, thereby establishing family connections that would remain rooted in Connecticut.

Barber’s early public prominence came through his military service during the War of 1812. He served as a major in the Eighth Connecticut Regiment, where he was detailed to defend the coast towns of Connecticut during the British naval blockade. In this capacity he was responsible for local defense and readiness along the shoreline, a critical concern for communities vulnerable to British incursions. His wartime experience and leadership enhanced his standing in Groton and the surrounding region and helped lay the groundwork for his subsequent political career.

Following the war, Barber entered state politics. He was elected a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1818, participating in state legislative affairs at a time when Connecticut was adjusting its political institutions in the post-Revolutionary and post-war period. His service in the state legislature, combined with his mercantile background and military record, positioned him as a viable candidate for national office.

Barber was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut and served seven consecutive terms, from March 4, 1821, to March 3, 1835. Over the course of his congressional career he was aligned with several evolving political designations that reflected the shifting party system of the early nineteenth century. He was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Seventeenth Congress, as an Adams-Clay Republican to the Eighteenth Congress, as an Adams candidate to the Nineteenth and Twentieth Congresses, and as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-first, Twenty-second, and Twenty-third Congresses. Throughout these years he took part in debates and legislation during a formative era that encompassed the rise of Jacksonian democracy and significant national controversies over economic policy and federal power. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1834 to the Twenty-fourth Congress.

After leaving Congress in 1835, Barber resumed his mercantile pursuits in Groton, returning to the business activities that had occupied him before his national service. As the American party system continued to realign in the 1830s, he associated himself with the emerging Whig Party. He was a member of all Whig conventions from 1836, indicating his continued engagement in political affairs and his identification with the Whig opposition to Jacksonian policies, even though he did not again hold federal office.

Noyes Barber died in Groton, Connecticut, on January 3, 1844, at the age of 62 years and 250 days. He was interred in Starr Cemetery in Groton, reflecting his lifelong connection to his native community. His family’s involvement in public life extended beyond his own career: he was the uncle of Edwin Barber Morgan and Christopher Morgan, both of whom later served as Representatives in the United States Congress, continuing the Barber family’s participation in national legislative service.