Early Life
Barney was born in 1816 at Henderson, New York, the son of John and Sarah (Grow) Barney. He was a descendant of Jacob Barney of Bradenham, Buckinghamshire, England, who settled at Salem, Massachusetts, in 1630. John Barney was a farmer in Jefferson County, New York, when his sons Danford (1808) and Ashbel were born.
Educated at Belleville Academy in his native county, Ashbel Barney went to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1842 with his brother Danford and engaged in business as forwarding and commission merchants as Danford N. Barney & Company.
At Cleveland in 1846 Ashbel Barney married Susan H. Tracy, the daughter of Gardiner and Catherine (Lansing) Tracy of Utica, New York. Their children were:
- Gardiner Tracy Barney, b. November 29, 1849, Cleveland; d. in childhood.
- Charles Tracy Barney, b. January 27, 1851, Cleveland, d. November 14, 1907, New York City; married Lucy Collins "Lily" Whitney.
- Helen Tracy Barney, b. May 16, 1853, Cleveland, d. February 17, 1897, New York City.
Lucy Collins Whitney was the sister of William Collins Whitney, Secretary of the Navy in 1885-1889. It was at Whitney's New York City home, 871 Fifth Avenue, that he gave a debutante ball in honor of Lucy's daughter, Helen Barney, on January 5, 1901.
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