B.T. Barber
Pilot-Race Car Driver

Photos

Born May 27, 1885
Died March 30, 1958

Information from the Internet

Basil T. "B.T." Barber was born on May 27, 1885 at Sunnyside, Tennessee. He was already an experienced racecar driver by the time he moved to Iola, Kansas in 1910, holding the track record at Chattanooga, Tennessee for a number of years. He worked as Iola's city electrician until he and a partner became the area Ford Motor Company dealers in 1912. A year later, Barber bought out the partner and eventually added Chevrolets and even airplanes to the dealership. He was an avid flyer and opened Iola's first airport. He continued to race cars for a number of years, competing on various well known tracks. He sold his business interests in Iola in 1929 and spent nine years farming northwest of Iola near Genova, Kansas. Barber suffered from asthma and was in poor health for several years before he passed away in the Iola hospital on March 30, 1958. He was survived by his wife, one son, and one daughter. B.T. Barber is buried in Highland Cemetery on the north edge Iola, Kansas.

Photos

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