Dr. William Barker
Written as “the Dr.”, “the Doc”Probably
James wrote bitterly in February 1864 of “the mental suffering I endured from the mere fact of knowing I was poor for six long weary years. I worked and suffered and endured insult from Dr. Barker because I was too poor to resent it or offend him. He knew I was depending on him and he took advantage of it.” He went on: “I can appreciate the feeling of John because I have been there; the treatment of the Dr. is calculated to depress the manly and independent sentiments of a young man” (James, February 21, 1864). In June: “So John has left the Dr.’s, it was a good move I think, as the Doc is not the most pleasant man to work for in the world and he is such a little picayune sort of fellow both mentally and physically” (James, June 26, 1864).
The Brooklyn city directories list a William Barker in the Eastern District, Williamsburgh: a druggist at 71 South 7th Street in 1862 (1862 Brooklyn City Directory), a physician at 144 South 6th Street in 1863 (1863 Brooklyn City Directory), and a druggist at 144 South 6th Street in 1864 (1864 Brooklyn City Directory). The Wades lived at 183 South 6th Street. A doctor who kept a drug store on the family’s own street fits James’s years with “Dr. Barker”, and John “in his store” (Willie, June 12, 1863) working for “the Dr.”, so this is probably him.