SERENDIPITY: On pg. 199 of the Jan-Feb 1990 issue of "The Genealogical Helper" magazine is a photo of George Barney. He was born 11 May 1868, the son of Joseph Barney born 07 Aug 1845, and the grandson of Francis Barney born in Quebec, Canada of French ancestors. (George and/or his father were born in New York).

George and his Dad worked together as stone masons and plasterers until Joseph bought a brickyard. George and his brother Frank worked with their Dad until 1892, when George bought it from his Dad for $75.00 paying $50.00 down and the other $25.00 due in one year from the date on the contract. At that time brick was made by throwing mud in forms by hand and was a very slow and back-breaking job. After putting in 12-14 hours a day, first in his brickyard with C. E. Magers and then his Northside Brick Yard in New London, Iowa, he moved south.

In Leesville, Lousiana about 1906, George bought another brickyard and made brick while running a construction company laying the brick. He decided something had to be done to hasten the job of stacking and moving brick so he invented the first "Brick Truck" which is shown in the circa 1909 photograph. He applied for and received a patent from Ottawa, Canada dated 1908. The photo was shared by George Barney's granddaughter, Barbara Lamb, Tampa FL.

Please reference that issue for more details.

Hopefully, this "snippet" will provide just the right clue to a researcher.