Thomas Barclay
Thomas Barclay, deceased, who, for many years was one of Steubenville's most active business men, identified with the grocery trade, was born January 25, 1830, at Pittsburgh, Pa., a son of Samuel and Sarah Barclay
The parents of Mr. Barclay died in his youth and when he was six years old he became a member of the family of William D. Nash, of Wheeling, W. Va., and grew to manhood practically one of that household. He was brought to Steubenville with the family, in 1837, was given good school advantages and made himself very useful to his kind protector. From 1840 until 1861 Mr. Nash conducted a grocery and produce store on the present site of the Imperial Hotel, at Steubenville, and when he retired in the latter year, Mr. Barclay, who had been carefully trained in this line, embarked in the same business on his own account. His beginning was on a rather small scale but he had made many friends during his long association with Mr. Nash, and it was a source of a great deal of pride to him years afterward, to recall how generally the old customers came to trade with him, showing the confidence they had in his integrity. He prospered in his undertaking, and in 1870 he built a commodious three-story brick block in which he continued his business until his final retirement in August, 1887. He owned considerable valuable real estate in Steubenville and was numbered with the men of ample means.
On February 14, 1860, Mr. Barclay was married at Steubenville, to Miss Caroline B. Myers, who was born in this city in 1838, and died June 6, 1907. Her parents were old and prominent residents of Jefferson County, James and Mary (Cookson) Myers. To <r. and Mrs. Barclay were born four children: Mary N., wlio became the wife of H. W. Tonner; William and Harry, both of whom died in infancy; and Thomas R., who is prominently identified with the business interests of Steubenvilie, being successor of the Basler Real Estate Agency, the first established real estate agency at Steubenvilie. In his political views the late Thomas Barclay was a Republican. He was a man of Christian endeavor and high personal character and he and wife were valued members of the Methodist Protestant Church.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910