Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2023

Ellen Helen Iverson Stevenson Barclay was born in Norway April 25, 1834, and came to this country and settled in Wisconsin, and then Iowa. Finally, she came to Minnesota in 1848 and in 1855, became an early settler-colonist in what later became Shakopee, according to a blog by MJ MacDonald called Barclays of Pine River.

Sometimes she was called Ellen, and sometimes she was called Helen, and her last name was either Iverson or Stevenson.

John Barclay was born in Scotland March 18, 1801. He married his first wife, Margaret (whose last name may be something like Davidson but this is not clear). John and Margaret had seven children: John, James, Sarah Agnes, Mary Jane, Alexander, Martha, and George.

After his first wife died, John and his children moved to the United States in the 1840s. They moved to Connecticut, and eventually John moved to Minnesota Territory.

John made his appearance in Shakopee, Minnesota in 1853, according to the book, History of the Minnesota Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota and History of the Sioux Massacre, by Rev. Edward D. Neill and Charles S. Bryant, published in 1882, page 315.

“The settlers continued to arrive in large numbers during the fall of 1852 and throughout the year 1853, the earlier of whom were as follows: Thomas Kennedy arrived in the fall of 1852 and moved on to his present claim in spring 1853; Edward Smith came in spring of 1853 and located his present claim in the north-eastern quarter of section 20 the same year; Alex. Dorward also came that year, together with Benjamin W. Turner, John Masters, Lyman Ruby, John Barclay and Horace Fuller. These all located in different parts of the town, and most of them are still living upon their original claims.”

John really began to set down roots in Minnesota when he was awarded a patent for land in Eagle Creek. Per Law of 1855 and Bounty Land given to men of service, Elizabeth Gilpatrick gives land as the widow of Thomas Gilpatrick Private in Captain Daggett’s Company, Massachusetts Militia, War of 1812 to John Barclay – NE qtr of Sec 23, Twp 115N, north of Range 22-West, No Fract. Section, 5th PM, 160 acres, Minnesota, Scott County. Signed by Abraham Lincoln, City of Washington, Record Vol. 499, page 123.- #86 791 (291) Accession #MW-0499-123. March 3, 1855: Scrip Warrant Act of 1855 (10 Stat.701), dated 10 September 1861. Land Office Henderson. Vol. W pg. 249-250, originally issued from Washington City, Family History Film #1043558 Scott Co., Minnesota Deeds/Indexes.

John naturalized as a citizen in 1855. This document was found in the records of the Territory of Minnesota, Scott County, Declarations of Intent #118 at the Scott County Historical Society.

Ellen moved to Shakopee in 1855, according to ancestry.com.

In 1857, Ellen Helen and John married in Eagle Creek. They had four children: Charles (1860), William (1862), Mary (1864) and Anna Elizabeth (1870).

The 1870 U.S. Federal Agricultural census pages included John and Ellen Helen Iverson Stevenson Barclay and it provided a very nice description of the farm:

Barkley John 20 acres, 20 acres unimproved, 800 cash value of farm, 150 in value of farming implements and equipment, 15 in total wages paid in year including value of board, 2 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 2 other cattle, 2 sheep, 2 swine, 200 value of all live stock, 200 value in Spring Wheat, 100 bu. in Indian corn, 5 lbs wool, 30 bu. Irish potatoes, 100 lbs butter, 6 tons hay, 50 dollars value of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, 150 estimated value of all farm production including betterments and additions to stock.

John participated as a carpenter in the Civil War for a few short months towards the end of the war. The Veterans Schedule for John Barclay is hard to read, but noted: Hse 57, Family 57 John Barclay, Carpenter Dec 1865 to June 1866, 6 mos. A note down below reads: Was sworn as a carpenter at St. Louis, Mo to serve ___M (quartermaster) at ____, Mo. was discharged at extinction of term, according to the 1890 Special Schedules of the U.S. Surviving Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, and Widows, etc. NARA: M123, Roll 23 Minnesota Veterans of 1890, pg. 1, SD 2, ED 177, line 7. FHL#3381823 Eagle Creek, Scott Co., Minnesota, pg. 1, #5757.

John Barclay died in 1897 in Eagle Creek, according to an article in the Scott County Argus on Dec. 30, 1897: “At the home of his son Charles, in Eagle Creek, Saturday, Dec. 25, 1897, of old age, John Barclay, aged ninety-six years. Deceased was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 18th day of March, 1801, and the first forty years or more of his life were spent in his native land. By his first wife seven children were born to him; and in the 40’s the family, diminished by the loss of the wife and mother, came to America….This took place Tuesday afternoon from the Presbyterian church, Rev. J.B. Ferguson officiating, and the remains were followed to their last resting place in the Valley Cemetery by neighbors and may friends of the early pioneer days.”

So, what happened to Ellen/Helen after John’s death? After John’s death, Ellen Barclay rented her land to her son Charles on Aug. 29, 1898. Ellen/Helen lived another ten years.

After John’s death in 1897, the census of the 1900 U.S. Federal Census shows Ellen was living with her son Charles. This census shows that the only child that was still around was Charles. The remaining three children of John and Ellen had married and migrated elsewhere. William and Mary Elizabeth went to Montana, Anna married and went to Wisconsin, and Charles lived in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Ellen passed on Nov. 30, 1907 in Shakopee.

Helen Barclay’s death notice in the Shakopee Tribune on Dec. 13, 1907 and the Scott County Argus on Dec. 6, 1907 listed her maiden name as Stevenson, even though John Barclay noted her maiden name as Iverson.

Ellen Helen Iverson Stevenson Barclay was buried with John in the Valley Cemetery in Shakopee. The name Helen is in the obituary notice, but Ellen is on the tombstone.