BERT BARNHILL. – A member of the well known firm of Fine & Barnhill Brothers and laboring in one of the enterprises of Elgin, being proprietors of the livery and sale stables of the town,our subject is deserving of representation in this volume and as a loyal citizen, upright and honest, we accord him such with pleasure.
Our subject was born in Sanders county, Nebraska, on September 22, 1860, being the son of James and Margaret (Bryan) Barnhill, natives of Illinois and Indiana, respectively. From the home place in Nebraska, the parents removed to Boise valley and in 1882, one year later, they came to the Wallowa valley, where the father took a homestead nine miles north from Enterprise. There he labored until the time of his death in 1901, being buried in Enterprise. The mother is still living on the old homestead. Our subject took a homestead adjoining his father’s place and gave himself to tilling the soil and raising stock until 1902, when with his brother and Mr. Fine, he bought the livery stable in Elgin, where we find them doing a good business at the present time. They have a good equipment of rigs and driving horses, with saddle animals and are doing a representative business, being well esteemed by all.
On December 6,1896, Mr. Barhill married Miss Rosa, daughter of A.C. Smith, of Enterprise, the wedding occurring in Enterprise, and to add joy to the happy union, there has been born one child, Howard, born December 16,1899, in Wallowa county. Mr. Barnhill is a member of the I.O.O.F., Enterprise Lodge, No. 58. He is a man of ability and has manifested good sagacity in all of his endeavors, while also he has maintained a reputation unsullied and has wrought for the upbuilding of this section with assiduity and display of energy and perseverance.