The Barker gang is rooted in the family of Arizona "Ma" Clark Barker (1873?-1935) and her four sons, Herman (1894-1927), Lloyd (1896-1949), Arthur "Dock" (1899-1939), and Fred (1902-35). The gangster period thrived until Ma Barker and Creepy Karpis grew brazen. Fred Barker met Alvin Karpis in prison in 1931. A wanted poster issued at this time offered $100 reward for the capture of "Old Lady Arrie Barker" as an accomplice. In 1977, the disco band Boney M released the danceable song "Ma Baker," which features lyrics based on her life. According to Enss and Kazanjian, a group of prisoners, including Arthur, had used a small saw and sulfuric acid to break down the bars of their cell. In 1892, she married George E. Barker and began using the first name Kate. A four-hour shootout - the longest in FBI history, notes the Orlando Sentinel- ensued and at the end of it, both Ma and Fred were dead. Born Arizona Clark in Ash Grove Missouri, in 1873, known as "Arrie" but most knew her as "Kate" growing up, but better known as Ma Barker sometimes Arizona Barker, as well as Kate, one of her alias names. Some say she was no more than a common hillbilly woman, others claim she was the mastermind of the entire Barker-Karpis Gang, who stole more money than John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, and Vern Miller combined, notes author Chris Enss and left a trail of nearly a dozen dead law enforcement officers in their wake. As 'Mrs. She wasnt suited for a role in the Karpis-Barker Gang., Karpis went on to write in his autobiography that the most ridiculous story in the annals of crime is that Ma Barker was the mastermind behind the Karpis-Barker gang., Continuing, he wrote, She wasnt a leader of criminals or even a criminal herself She knew we were criminals, but her participation in our careers was limited to one function: when we traveled together, we moved as a mother and her sons. Newspaper article on Ma Barker. Ash Grove, Greene County, MO, United States. For another, few believe the short, elderly Barker was capable of firing - or even holding - a machine gun. This was about 26% of all the recorded Barker's in United Kingdom. A map found in his possession indicated that other gang members were in Ocklawaha, Florida. << According to historian Courtney Ryley Cooper, she had strong features, with eyes that showed both her intelligence and cold heart. ", United States Department of Justice,Wikimedia Commons, The Hunt for the Last Public Enemy in Northeastern Ohio, Hunt for the Last Public Enemy in Northeastern Ohio. And, of course, she also enjoyed the improved living conditions wealth allowed. In his memoirs ("Ma Barker"), Karpis claimed, "there was probably never before as complete a gathering of criminals in one room in the United States as there was on New Year's Eve in 1931.". In 1892, she married George Barker in Lawrence County, Missouri, and the couple had four sons: Herman (18931927), Lloyd (18971949), Arthur (18991939), and Fred (19011935). The Visitations trace all these five families to a common ancestor, "William Barker alias Coverall," who married "Margaret daughter and heire to Goulston of Goulston" and one of his sons is shown as the first Barker of Aston. Barker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms - HouseOfNames 722 1000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 0 444 556 444 0 500 556 278 0 556 278 833 556 In the civil wars then continually waged, he was attainted and hanged. The Notorious Ma Barker | Not Past It BARKER Family. Birth of Kate "Ma" Barker. Heres how she became the FBIs most wanted mother of the 1930s. According to writer Miriam Allen deFord, George "gave up completely and quietly removed himself from the scene" after Herman's death and the imprisonment of his other sons. March 10, 1934 Barker gang member Fred Goetz (also known as "Shotgun George" Ziegler, a participant in the Bremer kidnapping) killed by fellow gangsters in Cicero, Illinois. Among the four of them, between 1915 and 1927, they were arrested for robbery, stealing cars, and even murder, as per History. Alvin Karpis, thought to be the true leader of the gang, disagreed with Hoover. On February 14, 1920, there was a jailbreak. After the break, the real Ma Barker and big time crime in the 30s. After learning about the rough-and-tumble life of Ma Barker, check out some more female gangsters. MA 01001 Hampden County (Jul 1991 . Thomas Barker 1750-1834 - Ancestry Wayne Barker and his wife Carolyn are both deceased. endobj George Barker wanted to admonish his sons, but, per Enss and Kajanjian, Kate wouldn't allow it. Feeling the heat, the gang left St. Paul and returned to Chicago, where they tried to launder the ransom money. Miss E. Frye Barker is the Secretary of the Barker Society. He lived in West Springfield before settling in Westfield years ago. Delma Barker, Marion Barker, Versie Barker are all deaceased. Actress: Stick Up Chicks. Prior to the move, her ghost was said to haunt the house, as per the Tampa Bay Times. In 1891 there were 10,030 Barker families living in Yorkshire. Five of the most wanted thieves, murderers, and kidnappers by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the 1930s were from the same family. Ocala, Florida. "We'd leave her at home when we were arranging a job, or we'd send her to a movie. In late 1931, per Biography, Fred Barker and his new partner in crime, Alvin Karpis, robbed a store in West Plains, Missouri, and killed a sheriff. Tradition averred that this Bercer was William de Calverhall; and his descendants, when after two hundred years they settled again the northern part of the county, at Claverley, Wolvcrton and Coleslrarst, seem to have reassumed the name of Covevf ll as an alias, so that they were known by both names. Username and password are case sensitive. A .45 caliber automatic pistol was found next to Freds body, and a machine gun lay at Ma Barkers left hand. Back in the 1930s, people would pose with the bodies of infamous criminals. Having already captured the era's other public enemies, they were devoting all their energy to bringing in the "Bloody Barkers" and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis. As they came of age, Ma Barkers sons turned to a life of crime, as evidenced by Hermans 1915 arrest in Joplin, Missouri for highway robbery. The bidding began at one million dollars and included the original furnishings, but the house ultimately went unsold. About Kate "Ma" Barker. This was about 22% of all the recorded Barker's in USA. Standing here in front of the windows where Ma Barker made her last stand, it's easy to feel one. Karpis sentenced to 4 years but paroled after restitution made; Fred Barker also avoided jail sentence. Barker was born Arizona Donnie Clark in Ash Grove, Missouri, the daughter of John and Emaline (Parker) Clark; her family called her "Arrie".In 1892, she married George Barker in Lawrence County, Missouri, and the couple had four sons: Herman (1893-1927), Lloyd (1897-1949), Arthur (1899-1939), and Fred (1901-1935). He got away with it for almost a month before a copfinally caught up with him. 500 556 0 444 389 333 556 0 722 500 500 444 ] How Ma Barker Led A Gang Of Criminals In 1930s America - All That's They pulled the same trick, this time bringing in $200,000. PDF Barker family Tree January 15, 1921 Arthur Barker aka "Claude Dade" involved in attempted bank robbery in Muskogee, Oklahoma; arrested (#822). For one, the firstphotographtaken at the crime scene doesn't depict her with a gun. December 16, 1932 Fred and Arthur Barker, Alvin Karpis and gang robbed Third Northwestern National Bank in, April 4, 1933 Fred and Arthur Barker, Alvin Karpis and gang members, August 30, 1933 BarkerKarpis Gang robs a payroll at Stockyards National Bank of, September 22, 1933 Two bank messengers held up by five men identified as BarkerKarpis Gang; Chicago policeman. The crunch came when George refused to support Lloyd after his arrest, insisting that he should be punished for his crime. "When we traveled together, we moved as a mother and her sons," he said. Samuel Barker was a lineal descendant of John Barker, of Shropshire, England, who married, in 1549, Elizabeth Hill, a sister of Sir Rowland Hill, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London. [6] By 1933, most of the gang were back in St. Paul where they carried out two kidnappings of wealthy businessmen. She is the mother of four sons, all criminals who ran the Barker Gang. More recently, she inspired the characters of Ma Beagle in the original animated series DuckTales and Mama Fratelli in 1985's "The Goonies," as per Crime and Investigation. However, a few minutes later, machine-gun fire erupted from the house. (pp. The . Bob was a veteran of the U.S. Army. From about the fourteen century onward the word Barker was applied to a tanner, and at a still later date it came to mean a barker of trees, but these were comparatively modern uses of the word and only originated after family names had become established. [1] However, a family friend recalled that the couple argued about their children's "dissolute life". Kate continued to encourage the boys' participation in crime and, according to the Joplin Globe, their family home became a gathering place for criminals. According to MinnPost, there was a general understanding in St. Paul that gangsters were safe - so long as they laid low within city limits. [8] The gang decided to leave St. Paul with the FBI on the case and without Tom Brown supplying information; they moved to the Chicago area, renting apartments for Ma while they tried to launder the ransom.[9]. In 1931, the family moved to Springfield, Missouri, where Barker graduated from Central High School in 1941. Her blood has been scrubbed from the pine floorboards. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. [6] Chief Brown's involvement in the gang's escape could not be proven, but he was demoted to the rank of detective and was later dismissed from the police force altogether. Explore Barker genealogy and family history in the World's Largest Family Tree. Family tree of Fred Barker - Geneastar Wikimedia CommonsThe FBI gunned down Ma and Fred Barker in this Florida cottage. [7], The gang relocated to Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Fred Barker hid Ma in a variety of hotels and hideouts during their stay there. June 10, 1931 Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis (alias George Heller) arrested by Tulsa, Oklahoma Police investigating burglary. From 1916 to 1919, he was at the Crystal Springs Water Co. Soon, cars full of high school students from Ocala, a town 20 miles north, were turning up to watch the gunfight. An error has occured while loading the map. . The agents ordered them to surrender, but Fred opened fire; both he and his mother were killed by federal agents after an intense, hours-long shootout. Research genealogy for Thomas Barker of Marblehead, Essex, Massachusetts, as well as other members of the Barker family, on Ancestry. Robert Barker Obituary (2014) - South Weymouth, MA - The Patriot Ledger According to ChrisEnss and Howard Kazanjianin "Ma Barker," Ma Barker attended church every Sunday and took her boys with her. Her sister Janie Blakey (Nee Harker) was a recurring character. Wrong username or password. Compare DNA and explore genealogy for Mary (Dix) Barker born abt. [13], The popular image of Ma as the gang's leader and its criminal mastermind is often portrayed in films such as Ma Barker's Killer Brood (1960), Bloody Mama (1970), and Public Enemies (1996). [6] He concluded: The most ridiculous story in the annals of crime is that Ma Barker was the mastermind behind the KarpisBarker gang. The gang operated under the protection of St. Paul's police chief Thomas "Big Tom" Brown, and they went from being bank robbers to kidnappers under his guidance. However, this is widely regarded by historians as fictitious, and some have been skeptical that she participated in the shoot-out in which she died. Barker Family History: Last Name Origin & Meaning - AncientFaces FBI reports describe George Barker as more or less shiftless and note that the couple lived in poverty. Source: Getty Images. Things began looking up for Ma Barker in the spring of 1931 when Fred was unexpectedly released from prison on parole. ", http://www.vnla.com/vnl/gen/mcq/Barker.htm, (from http://books.google.com/books?id=k7UNAQAAMAAJ&dq=John%20Barker%20al Google eBooks, not in copyright). Barker Genealogy, published by the Barker Society, of which I am a vice-president,1 I learn there are eight principal lines of the Barker family in this country. According toBiography, Kate would become furious at the mention of discipline. The agents returned fire using tear gas bombs, rifles, and machine-guns. She wasn't a leader of criminals or even a criminal herself. Barker's sons committed crimes as early as 1910, when Herman was arrested for highway robbery after running over a child in the getaway car. Barker/Karpis Gang FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation Had she lived she likely would have been simply been charged with accessory and harboring fugitives. Roger and Alva Barker were my grandparents, my parents were Joseph O'dell Barker and Edna Blackburn Barker. The riches she had always hoped her husband would bring her were now hers by way of her sons. << Wikimedia CommonsMugshot of Mas son Fred Barker in 1930. /FontBBox [ 0 -206 981 694 ] Sometime around 1903 or 1904, the Barker family moved to Webb City, Missouri. Authorities believe the [] The FBI were not aware that Karpis and other gang members had left three days before, leaving only Fred and Ma in the house. Anytime a revival came through town she went. Agents surrounded the house at 13250 East Highway C-25 on the morning of January 16, 1935. Barker-Karpis Gang member Alvin Karpis who knew her quite well paints a different picture, describing her as "an old-fashioned homebody from the Ozarks superstitious, gullible, simple, cantankerous, and, well, generally law-abiding" (via theToronto Sun). The U.S. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940, list Barker as an official member of the Sioux tribe. FBIFred Barker met Alvin Karpis in prison in 1931. Ma Barker - The Barker Gang - Criminal Family Enterprise According to Julie Thompson's "Hunt for the Last Public Enemy in Northeastern Ohio," many historians believe this party was key to the Barker-Karpis Gang's transition into a big-league crime outfit. If that doesn't sound familiar, Lady Gaga later sampled the song in "Poker Face" - those famous "ma ma ma ma's" are referencing the one and only Ma Barker. They were a bunch of criminal misfits, drawn together by friendship, family, and a thirst for easy money. While there is no evidence she was directly involved in the kidnappings, Kate "Ma" Barker certainly enjoyed the spoils. Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love. Family Tree . January 8, 1935 Arthur "Doc" Barker arrested in Chicago; Barker gang member, January 16, 1935 Fred and Ma Barker killed by FBI in Ocklawaha, Florida (Marion County). In August 1933, gangsters attacked a vehicle carrying the money. She had conveniently visited her son in jail only a short time before his escape. Mary Barker, born 1853 - Ancestry We encourage you to research and examine these records to . On Jan. 8, 1935, Arthur Barker was arrested by FBI agents in Chicago. /ItalicAngle 0 Fred and Arthur Barker, along with Alvin Karpis, robbed a string of banks across the Midwest in 1932 (per Biography), resulting in the killings of more officers and a civilian (viaMinnPost). His mother, Matilda ("Tillie") Valandra (ne Matilda Kent Tarleton), was a school teacher; his father, Byron John Barker, was the foreman on the electrical high line through . According to Chris Enss and Howard Kazanjian in their book "Ma Barker," the family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a fresh start, but the troubles with the law only increased. It was there that the Barker-Karpis gang committed their more infamous crimes, eventually turning from bank robberies to kidnapping under the protection and guidance of Thomas Brown, the citys corrupt chief of police. 121122), Learn how and when to remove this template message, federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, Hoover, J. Edgar, "The Kidnapping of Edward Bremer", November 19, 1936, "Latent Prints in the 1933 Hamm Kidnapping", http://foia.fbi.gov/filelink.html?file=/barksumm/barksum1.pdf, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Barker Gang, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ma_Barker&oldid=1133654104. The Dowling Family Tree with over half a million relatives,contains thousands of pictures and GeneaStars. Research genealogy for Mary Barker of Newland, Yorkshire, England, as well as other members of the Barker family, on Ancestry. That event kicked off a series of crimes that would escalate in seriousness to include robbery, kidnapping, and murder. Ma Barker's Killer Brood (Gangster Film, English Language - YouTube Barker Gang | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture This may have been when she became "loose" with local men, as the FBI suggested.
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