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ROBERT FRANKLIN BARRETT. After a successful railroad career of nearly thirty years, Robert Franklin Barrett decided on a less strenuous and quieter vocation and turned his attention to the theater business with the result that he is earning a very satisfactory livelihood as proprietor of the "Happy Hour" moving picture theater in Springfield, and while there are times, as might naturally be expected, when he longs again for the old life of the train man, yet this mood does not last long, as a rule, and he is well pleased with his new vocation.
Mr. Barrett was born in Salem, Missouri, November 13, 1855. He is a son of William and Margaret (McDole) Barrett, both natives of Ireland, from which country they emigrated to the United States when young in years and here spent the rest of their lives. They established their home in Virginia, where they spent many years and from there removed to Missouri, locating at Salem over sixty years ago when that part of the state was sparsely settled. They had been educated in the common schools of Virginia and married in that state. There the father of our subject learned the business of iron ore worker which he followed principally the rest of his life, dying near Salem, Missouri, when his son, Robert F., was a boy. His widow survived many years, dying at Bloomington, Illinois, in October, 1904.
After the death of his father the subject of this sketch was compelled to get out and hustle for himself, but he was by nature courageous, having inherited many of the indomitable traits of his Irish ancestors, and he not only made his own way when a boy but also managed to obtain a fair education. He came to Springfield when a young man and here began his railroad career in 1879 as brakeman on the Frisco, running principally on the western division, and he also worked as flag man on a passenger train for some time. He proved to he a very faithful employee wherever he was placed and he was promoted to freight conductor in 1885. Twelve years of his railroad career was spent with the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, a part of which time he was passenger conductor. Leaving this road in 1898, he returned to the Frisco system, and was given a position as freight conductor on the central division. He continued with the Frisco until 1907 when he quit the road and engaged in the moving picture business in which he has been very successful and which he has continued for seven years. The first three years were spent at Hugo, Oklahoma, after which he came to Springfield and opened the "Happy Hour" Theater at 502 East Commercial street, which has been very popular and which continues to be one of the best patronized in the city, for Mr. Barrett knows what a good show is and tries to give his patrons the best and at the same time make them as comfortable as possible no matter what the season or the weather is. He has a neat, clean and sanitary place and a full modern equipment, including an up-to-date electric piano. He shows the "Universal" program. He shows four reels daily.
Mr. Barrett was married on December 7, 1898, in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, to Josephine Crow. She was born in Iowa, January 4, 1864, and she is a daughter of Jonathan and Helen (Dooley) Crow, both parents natives of Cork, Ireland, from which country they emigrated to America when young and here established their home, spending the rest of their lives in the New World. They have been deceased for some time, the father having died in Iowa and the mother in Arkansas. They gave their daughter, Josephine good educational advantages.
To Mr. and Mrs. Barrett one child has been born, Irene J., whose birth occurred on December 10, 1899, and who is now attending school.
Politically, Mr. Barrett is a Democrat and has been active in the affairs of this party for many years. He was elected city marshal of Springfield in 1886, serving one term in a manner that was highly pleasing to his constituents and with credit to himself. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic Order, having attained the thirty-second degree in the same, is a Knight Templar and a Scottish Rite, in fact has taken everything in this time-honored order but the thirty-third degree, the highest in the order. He has long been prominent in Masonry in the Southwest.
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