George Barr, a son of John Barr, was born in Berks County, April 3, 1803, died Sept. 22, 1886. He came to Pine Grove with his father in 1810.
He learned the tanning trade with Michael Fritz at Friedensburg; after he was free he worked for his uncle for one year near Reading then came back to Schuylkill County and built a tannery in Snyder Valley, halfway between Pine Grove and Friedensburg, where he carried on the tanning business for three years, then sold out and lived on a farm owned by his father in Lebanon County, farmed from 1829 to 1841, moved to Pine Grove and bought the property now owned by the P. & R. Co. where the tower is, carried on the butchering business till 1845, went in the store and coal business, the firm being Snyder, Barr & Wile, kept store where Thomas Leffler lived.
Half way between Tremont and Donalson they built the first breaker in the west end of the county, they built what was called Frogtown in Tremont.
He had three sons and two daughters, Josiah, William and Paul H. Paul and William served in the Civil War. Mary A. was married to Henry Harvey; J. W. Harvey who lives in Denver, Col., is a son; Adam is also a son, he is employed by the P. & R. R. R. Catherine was married to Josiah Stees. George was tax collector in 1844, was constable for 15 years.
Source: Biographical Notes, 1841-1916, of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, by John William Barr: Achenbach & Reber, 1916.
Contributed by: Nancy.