Calvin S. Barlow

Calvin Sam Barlow (May 13, 1856 – April 5, 1920) was a pioneer and politician of Tacoma, Washington. He was considered one of the most successful merchants of the city. In 1877, he came to Tacoma–a small village at the time–and opened its first butcher shop. Barlow successfully conducted the business for three years in partnership with his brother. Later, they founded the Tacoma Trading Company (later, C. S. Barlow & Sons) and started dealing in various building materials as well as manufacturing their own. In 1903, their company was one of the largest in the city, and one of the leading merchants. It was stated that the company supplied near three-fourths of the lime for all of the Tacoma buildings of that time. Over the years, Barlow became a highly esteemed Tacoma merchant.

As a politician, Barlow was an active and member of the Republican party. He was a member of the City Council and was twice elected to the Washington State Legislature. He was first elected in 1897 during the mainly Populist victories. Barlow was one of the founders of the tax system, one of the charter members and trustees of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Washington Supreme Court bench, and a member of the Washington State Board of Visitation for prisons.

Barlow was considered one of the best-known Tacoma citizens. He was a member and founder of the first Tacoma military organization and a member of the Board of Trustees for Puget Sound University. He invested in real estate, mining, and other establishments, erected a building on Jefferson Avenue, and was a member and a leader of a number of organizations, including the Washington State Historical Society, the Pierce County Pioneers' Association, the Tacoma Commercial Club, and others.

Early life and family
Calvin Barlow was born in Cowlitz County, a few miles west of Kelso, Washington, on May 13, 1856. His parents were George Barlow and Mary Ann Barlow (Purdy).

Barlow's ancestors were Englishmen who emigrated to America in the 1630s. Barlow's father worked on the Erie Canal as the captain of a commercial boat, and in 1830 became a Michigan pioneer. Later with his wife, he crossed the plains to Portland, Oregon. From there, they eventually moved to Cowlitz County in Washington State.

Barlow spent his childhood in a family home in Cowlitz County, helping his father farm. He was one of nine children in the family. Among his siblings were Byron Barlow, a pioneer of Tacoma who took an active part in that city's development, and George W. Barlow a well-known steamboat captain on Puget Sound and the Columbia River.

Education and first job
Barlow studied in Forest Grove, Oregon, schools. He attended Pacific University, one of the first universities of Oregon, for one year. Later, he entered the Portland Business College. In order to pay for his education, Barlow spent five years working as a salmon fisherman on the Columbia River. He graduated in 1877 at the age of 21, and moved to Tacoma.

Butcher business
In 1877, Barlow became a pioneer of Tacoma, then a small village. There, in partnership with his brother Byron, Barlow started the city's first butcher shop. They worked in the business successfully for three years. Later, they decided to establish the Tacoma Trading Company.

Tacoma Trading Company
The Tacoma Trading Company was founded in 1882 and incorporated on August 21, 1883(one book gives 1893 as the year of the incorporation, possibly as a typo). Barlow worked as company's secretary and treasurer; later, he became president. In later years, three of Barlow brothers became partners, and the company name was changed to the C. S. Barlow & Sons. Three of Barlow's sons (George, Allan, and Russell) also joined the business. By 1903, the company had become one of the largest in the city, and its building was considered "the oldest and largest house of its kind." The company sold a vast array of building materials, including sewer pipes, coal, lime, plaster, cement, sand, gravel, and more. Prosser, founder of the Washington State Historical Society, stated that by 1903, the company supplied about "three-fourths of all the lime used in the buildings" that were built in Tacoma. The company was thought to be one of the leading firms of the city in the business.

In 1904, Barlow loaned money for the development of a brickyard on Fox Island, from which he purchased bricks. Two years later, he bought the yard, paying $2,900 ($4,400 in 2020 dollars). The brickyard was originally founded in 1884, and over the years changed names, owners, and managers several times. The brickyard's land had a variety of quality clay deposits, and manufactured products used by towns and cities in Washington and Oregon. The brickyard was closed during the U.S. economic Depression of 1893, and re-opened in 1897.

Barlow invested $30,000 ($46,000) in a brick dryer to be able to manufacture bricks all year long, instead of only during the summer months, when the bricks dried in the open air. But concrete was becoming more popular in the building business, and in 1910 or 1911, Barlow closed the brick business.

Barlow remained president of the Tacoma Trading Company until his death in 1920. During his years in business, he was known as a "prominent Tacoma merchant" and "one of the most successful dealers in his field."

Other activity and positions
Barlow took part in the development of a number of Tacoma industries. In 1881, he co-founded the Tacoma's first military organization. He invested heavily in real estate and mining, as well as other enterprises. In 1888, Barlow built a cottage with a companion on Jefferson Avenue, called Queen Ann. From 1888 to 1903, Barlow was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Puget Sound University.

Barlow served as a curator for the Washington State Historical Society and for the Ferry Museum. He was a member and president of the Pierce County Pioneers' Association. His civic activities made him one of "the best-known Tacoma citizens."

Political activity
Barlow actively supported and promoted the Republican party, and his opinion was taken into account by party councils.

One of Barlow's first steps in the development of the city's law structure was to work on the first accurate tax system framework. He worked on it in 1883 with a colleague, Levi Shelton. In 1884, Barlow became a member of the Tacoma City Council, and in 1897, a charter member and trustee of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the Washington State Board of Visitation for prisons.

Barlow served two terms in the Washington State Legislature. He first became a member of the House of Representatives in 1897, one of the few successful Republican candidates elected during the pinnacle of the Populist party (a left-wing agrarian populist late-19th-century political party in the United States). In 1909, he became a member of the supreme bench of the Washington State.

In 1915, Barlow was elected to the legislature for the second time. He was one of nine newly elected legislators who were born in Washington State. By this time, the state had existed for twenty five years, and the number of native members elected was "regarded as unusually strong."

Memberships
Barlow was one of the first members of the Knights of Pythias lodge of Tacoma, and was identified with the Maccabees, Odd Fellows and United Artisans. He was also a member of the Pierce County Pioneers' Association and a member of the Seattle Commercial Club.

Barlow and his wife were members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a church trustee and a delegate to its General Conference at Cleveland.

Personal life
On April 28, 1881, Barlow married Hertilla M. Burr, a daughter of state pioneers who were the Barlows' neighbors in Cowlitz County. Barlow and Hertilla had eight children. George C., born in 1882, was later a secretary under his father's management in the Tacoma Trading Company. Harry L. was born on April 21, 1885, and died in August 1887; Byron T. was born February 1, 1888, and died April 1889; Allan was born on August 15, 1890; Russell C., born on November 10, 1893; Douglas L., born on December 23, 1895; Hertilla, born on June 7, 1898; and Mildred M., born on December 29, 1901.

Calvin Barlow died on April 5, 1920, at his home in Tacoma, after suffering from an illness for two days.