Amzi L. Barber

Amzi Lorenzo Barber
Amzi Lorenzo Barber
Born	Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age; Saxtons River, Vermont, U.S.
Died	17 April 1909 (aged 65); Ardsley-on-Hudson, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businessman, real estate developer
Known for	Pioneer in American asphalt industry, founder of Locomobile Company

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Amzi L. Barber, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 2025

Amzi Lorenzo Barber (June 22, 1843 – April 17, 1909) was a trailblazer in the American asphalt industry and an early contributor to the automobile industry. He played a key role in constructing numerous roads throughout Westchester County, New York and earned the nickname "The Asphalt King."

Early life

Barber was born in Saxtons River, Vermont to Amzi Doolittle Barber (1810–1901), a Congregationalist minister, and Nancy Irene Bailey. Raised in Ohio, he completed his studies at Oberlin College in 1867.

Career

Though initially contemplating a career in ministry, Barber chose to teach at Howard University, where he served as Principal of the Normal and Preparatory Department and as a professor until 1873. He later obtained a degree from Columbian University in 1877.

In August 1902, Barber was appointed as a director of the newly established Consolidated National Bank, joining notable figures such as Lyman G. Bloomingdale and James Newcomb.

Real estate development

Barber exited the education sector in 1873 to collaborate with his brother-in-law Andrew Langdon in developing LeDroit Park, a neighborhood adjacent to Howard University. The area was named after his father-in-law LeDroict Langdon (with the "c" omitted) and became one of Washington's earliest suburbs. Promoted as a "romantic" locale, it featured narrow, tree-lined streets named after the trees that shaded them, distinguishing it from typical city street nomenclature. Considerable resources were dedicated to landscaping to appeal to affluent professionals. Initially established as a whites-only gated community with security personnel, the neighborhood encountered opposition in July 1888 when students dismantled fences protesting its exclusionary policies.

In 1875, Barber developed the Le Droit Building at 800 F Street NW, situated opposite the Old Patent Office Building—currently housing the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. As of 2004, this building accommodates the International Spy Museum.

Barber expanded his real estate interests in 1892 by purchasing "Ardsley Towers" in Irvington, NY, originally constructed by Cyrus W. Field for his son but sold due to financial difficulties. He converted the property into Ardsley Park and established the Ardsley Country Club, thereby extending his portfolio into upscale residential and leisure developments.

Asphalt business

Barber entered the asphalt paving sector in 1878 alongside his brother-in-law, Buffalo industrialist John J. Albright. Two years later, he joined forces with U.S. Senator John Sherman to acquire and market the "Stone" property near Washington, D.C.. A government report endorsing asphalt as an optimal street paving material piqued his interest further. In 1883, he founded the Barber Asphalt Company, and by 1887 had secured an exclusive 42-year concession from the British Government for access to the Pitch Lake in Trinidad, which is recognized as the largest natural asphalt reserve worldwide. Barber also held the position of managing director at Trinidad Lake Asphalt Co., Limited, incorporated in London in 1898. He moved operations to New York City, where the company grew and became part of an asphalt trust, albeit against his wishes. By the turn of the century, Barber had paved more than 12 million square yards using Trinidad asphalt across seventy American cities, investing $35 million into these efforts. Although he retired in 1901 prior to the trust’s collapse, he reentered the industry in 1904.

Locomobile

In 1898, Barber established the Locomobile Company, initially producing compact Stanley Steamer vehicles priced at $600 each. The company's sales reached their highest point in 1900, with 1,600 units sold. Subsequently, the firm shifted its focus to manufacturing internal combustion engine automobiles, reflecting the evolving preferences within the automotive industry.

Personal life

Barber's first marriage was to Celia M. Bradley from Geneva, Ohio in 1868; she passed away two years later in 1870. He remarried in 1871 to Julia Louise Langdon (1844–1912) of Belmont, New York, who was a first cousin of Olivia Langdon Clemens, spouse of writer Mark Twain. Together, they had five children, four of whom—LeDroit, Lorena, Bertha, and Rowland—survived into adulthood.

Barber died at age 66 in April 1909 from pneumonia at his residence named "Ardsley Towers" located in Ardsley-on-Hudson, New York. At the time of his passing, The New York Times estimated his fortune to be worth "many millions." His final resting place is Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Residences and hobbies

In 1886, Barber engaged architect Theophilus P. Chandler to design an elegant châteauesque Queen Anne style mansion called Belmont on the "Stone" estate he had acquired in 1880. Situated between 13th and 14th Streets in Washington, it was regarded as one of the city’s most magnificent homes. Belmont was sold by his son in 1913 to developer Harry Wardman and subsequently demolished in 1915 to make way for the Clifton Terrace Apartments.

Barber purchased the Cunard estate on Staten Island in 1889 for use as a summer retreat. In 1891, he bought the mansion formerly owned by Robert L. Stuart at 871 Fifth Avenue in New York City, which served as his winter residence until it was sold around 1897 to William Collins Whitney.

A passionate yachtsman, Barber acquired the 269-foot yacht T.S.Y. Lorena in 1906, naming it after his daughter. The yacht accommodated approximately twelve guests and operated with a crew of forty-four. Additionally, Barber contributed as a trustee of Oberlin College from 1889 until his death in 1909 and held a directorship at Washington Loan and Trust.

External links

"Scenes from the Past" The InTowner (November 2007)