According toBiography, Kate would become furious at the mention of discipline. As a result, Kate Barker became a wanted woman, and a poster with her photo offered a $100 award for her capture (per Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz in their book, "Freaky Florida"). One year later, the gang kidnapped Edward George Bremer Jr., the president of Commercial State Bank. In late 1931, per Biography, Fred Barker and his new partner in crime, Alvin Karpis, robbed a store in West Plains, Missouri, and killed a sheriff. After about 15 minutes, the command to surrender was repeated, and a few minutes later, a voice from the house could be heard saying, All right, go ahead.. Back in the 1930s, people would pose with the bodies of infamous criminals. ", While she didn't do any of the heavy lifting, Kate still had a role in the gang's activities. The gang moved to Chicago but decided to leave because Karpis did not want to work for Al Capone. Karpis sentenced to 4 years but paroled after restitution made; Fred Barker also avoided jail sentence. /Parent 2 0 R Ma tossed out her husband around that same time and lived in abject poverty from 1928 to 1931 during her sons incarceration. Richard E Barker - Agawam, Massachusetts - (413) 782-0169 Actress: Stick Up Chicks. The American musician did not get to spend much time with his mother as she was diagnosed with Sjogren . 3 0 obj [ Ref ] [ Ref] He died on 23 Jan 1842, age 82, and is buried in the Grover Hill Cemetery in Bethel. But Hoover went straight to the press, describing Barker as a "she-wolf" who was "the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade," notes "Ma Barker," by Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian. In 1892, she married George Barker in Lawrence County, Missouri, and the couple had four sons: Herman (1893-1927), Lloyd (1897-1949), Arthur Barker (1899-1939), and Fred Barker (1901-1935 . Simone: This is Chris Enss, she's a history writer and co-author of Ma Barker: America's Most Wanted Mother. A map found in his possession indicated that other gang members were in Ocklawaha, Florida. Robert Barker (2) : Family tree by Tim DOWLING (tdowling) - Geneanet Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out the detail of Ma Barker in your family tree. In June, the Barker-Karpis Gang abducted William Hamm Jr., president of the Hamm Brewery Company, demanding a hefty ransom for his release. [6] By 1933, most of the gang were back in St. Paul where they carried out two kidnappings of wealthy businessmen. "The name Barker, though not a very common one, made its appearance during the thirteenth century in parts of the country widely distant from each other, and it is not to be supposed that all those who bore it were in any way related to each other. /Contents 10 0 R 121122), Learn how and when to remove this template message, federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, Hoover, J. Edgar, "The Kidnapping of Edward Bremer", November 19, 1936, "Latent Prints in the 1933 Hamm Kidnapping", http://foia.fbi.gov/filelink.html?file=/barksumm/barksum1.pdf, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Barker Gang, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ma_Barker&oldid=1133654104. In those days, it wasn't uncommon to run into Al Capone himself at the local pub. Geni requires JavaScript! "It's no insult to Ma's memory that she just didn't have the know-how to direct us on a robbery," he wrote in his memoirs (via Crime and Investigation). [6] Chief Brown's involvement in the gang's escape could not be proven, but he was demoted to the rank of detective and was later dismissed from the police force altogether. The Barker deathhouse in Ocklawaha, Florida, was listed for sale on August 16, 2012. The ring is presumed to have been owned by Fred Barker and it has been added to the collection along with several bullet casings and assorted paraphernalia. According to Julie Thompson's "Hunt for the Last Public Enemy in Northeastern Ohio," many historians believe this party was key to the Barker-Karpis Gang's transition into a big-league crime outfit. Barker Family History: Last Name Origin & Meaning - AncientFaces According to the Washington Post, many historians believe he was saving face, justifying the killing of an unarmed old woman after the accidental death of a civilian during the John Dillinger bust. Roger and Alva had Joseph Barker, Cecil Barker, Larry Barker, Wayne Barker, Delma Barker, Marion Barker, Versie Barker, Dalton Barker. Unfortunately, this odd tidbit led the G-Men right to their doorstep. We encourage you to research and examine these records to determine their . Over the years, George held several steady albeit low-paying jobs, primarily farming corn and beans and working in localmines. James Barker was born on 17 Jan 1760 in Bradford. George Barker/Kate"Ma"Barker By genealogy.com user March 02, 1999 at 01:46:22. . George Barker/Kate"Ma"Barker - Genealogy.com And, of course, she also enjoyed the improved living conditions wealth allowed. Ma Barker, photo, biography 4 0 obj Compare DNA and explore genealogy for Mary (Dix) Barker born abt. In 1931, the family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where Barker graduated from Central High School in 1941. In 1840 there were 403 Barker families living in New York. February 19, 1920 Arthur Barker arrested in Joplin, Missouri (#1740); returned to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Source: Getty Images. "[4] Alvin Karpis was probably the real leader of the gang, and he later said that Ma was just "an old-fashioned homebody from the Ozarks superstitious, gullible, simple, cantankerous and, well, generally law abiding". SEARCH; MY TREE Start Family Tree; Richard E Barker - Agawam, Massachusetts - (413) 782-0169. Following their public display, the bodies of Fred and Ma Barker went unclaimed for nine months before George Barker finally took them home to Oklahoma to be buried next to Herman Barker, per the Joplin Globe. Gang member Alvin Karpis claims Barker wasn't a real criminal. by Elford H. Messer 1994 . However, a few minutes later, machine-gun fire erupted from the house. According to Enss and Kazanjian, a group of prisoners, including Arthur, had used a small saw and sulfuric acid to break down the bars of their cell. /FontName /EQNEBL+Times-Bold But it was never enough for Kate. Does anyone have info on George Barkers family, where born, siblings, cousins etc.Any info would be helpful, and would help me make the connection. Additionally, an assortment of machine-gun drums, automatic pistol clips, and a large amount of ammunition was found in the home. Barker Name Meaning & Barker Family History at Ancestry.co.uk March 12, 1927 Fred Barker admitted to Kansas State Prison. American criminal who, along with Alvin Karpis, co-founded the Barker-Karpis gang, Born on December 12, 1901 Ocala, Florida. Ma and Fred Barkers bodies were first put on public display, then remained unclaimed until Oct. 1, 1935, at which time relatives had them buried next to Herman Barker at Williams Timberhill Cemetery located in Welch, Oklahoma. In a time when notorious Depression Era criminals were terrorizing the country, the Barker-Karpis Gang stole more money than mobsters John Dillinger, Vern Miller, and Bonnie and Clyde combined. [citation needed], Both bodies were found in the same front bedroom. In 1977, the disco band Boney M released the danceable song "Ma Baker," which features lyrics based on her life. The Lake Weir Chamber of Commerce stages an annual "Ma Barker Shootout" on "Ma Barker day" in a building near the actual location of her death. Agents entered the house after Woodbury announced that Ma and Fred Barker were both dead. July 4, 1918 Arthur "Doc" Barker involved in US automobile theft in Tulsa, Oklahoma; arrested (#841) (escaped). [4] The BarkerKarpis Gang's most infamous crimes were committed after the move to St. Paul, during their residency in a string of rented houses. Ma Barker's children were murderers and their BarkerKarpis gang committed a spree of robberies, kidnappings, and other crimes between 1931 and 1935, but there is no conclusive proof that Ma was their leader. But various details don't add up. In 1892, she married George E. Barker and began using the first name Kate. The father was a farmer. This is a beautiful area with lush vegetation and old oak trees. There was no machinery so the grain was sown or planted by hand and cut with sickles. In 1891 there were 10,030 Barker families living in Yorkshire. Although she stood only5-feet 4-inches tall, notes Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian in "Ma Barker," she made a lasting impression on those who met her. endobj In the 1920s, he was employed as a farmer, watchman, station engineer, and clerk. The connecting links have been supplied from the Court Rolls of the Manors of Warfield and Claverley, and after about 1560 one begins to find parish church registers. Arizona Donnie Barker (Clark) (1873 - 1935) - Genealogy - geni family tree The two-story wood frame house in rural Ocklawaha, 62 miles . In December 1932, the gang robbed the Third Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis, but this heist ended in a violent shoot-out with police, killing two officers and one civilian. According to MinnPost, there was a general understanding in St. Paul that gangsters were safe - so long as they laid low within city limits. Family Tree . Over the next few years, Herman and his brothers were repeatedly involved in crimes of increasing seriousness, including robbery and murder. How Ma Barker Led A Gang Of Criminals In 1930s America - All That's They made no exception for Fred and Ma Barker after they were brought to a morgue in Ocala, Florida. (Wichita Policeman, March 30, 1931 Fred Barker released from Kansas State Prison after serving time for burglary; met. Finally, a relative moved them . She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers. In 1927 Herman Barker apparently committed suicide after being wounded by Kansas police. The FBI were not aware that Karpis and other gang members had left three days before, leaving only Fred and Ma in the house. However, there is some controversy regarding Ma Barkers role as the leader and mastermind behind the success of the Barker-Karpis gang. House where legendary gangster 'Ma' Barker was shot dead after four The bidding began at one million dollars and included the original furnishings, but the house ultimately went unsold. Roger and Alva have been deceased for many years. According to Enss and Kazanjian, Kate handled the boys while George worked, although he managed to take them fishing and teach them how to shoot. The fuzz was hot on their tail, and it was time to find a place to hunker down for a while. The home is famous for being the location of the longest gun battle in FBI history. [4] After this, she was usually known to gang members as "Kate". She had no job, all her sons were in jail, and her husband was gone. The Encyclopedia of Robberies, Heists, and Capers. The purpose was to keep her from learning much about the gang's crimes, as well as to separate her from their girlfriends, with whom she did not get along. He joined former prison-mate Alvin Karpis to form the BarkerKarpis Gang. Fred Barker met Alvin Karpis in prison in 1931. This was a success, earning them $100,000. Birth of Eva M. Clark. 1921 Lloyd "Red" Barker arrested for vagrancy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She would steal away in her room and read magazine articles detailing the exploits of the bank and train robbing Dalton Gang. According to authors Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian in their book "Ma Barker," she was never arrested in connection with a crime. No matter what version of the tale you believe, one thing is certain: Being a devoted mother was by far her most defining characteristic. The agents ordered them to surrender, but Fred opened fire; both he and his mother were killed by federal agents after an intense . ", "Note. J. Edgar Hoover called her "the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade.". The troubles started small - rocks thrown through windows, wallets stolen from pockets at church - but soon escalated to greater and greater misdeeds. Fred and Arthur Barker, along with Alvin Karpis, robbed a string of banks across the Midwest in 1932 (per Biography), resulting in the killings of more officers and a civilian (viaMinnPost). In September 1932, Arthur and Lloyd were released from prison and joined Fred and Alvin. This tragedy took a toll on both Kate and George Barker - but they handled it differently. Ma Barker's Killer Brood (Gangster Film, English Language - YouTube Mary M (Dix) Barker (abt.1655-1744) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree Among the four of them, between 1915 and 1927, they were arrested for robbery, stealing cars, and even murder, as per History. He was among a group from nearby Newbury and Ipswich who had petitioned for .