Amos W. Barber was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania on April 26, 1861. After graduating with a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he worked as staff physician at the Pennsylvania Hospital. In 1885 he was surgeon in charge of the military hospital at Fort Fetterman. Promoted to acting surgeon in the United States Army, Barber accompanied General Crook's expedition to Arizona. Later he was assigned to duty at Fort D. A. Russell and after resigning from the service, opened up a medical practice in Cheyenne. After joining the Republican Party, Barber was elected Secretary of State in September 1890 and served until January of 1895. Barber's term was interrupted while he served as Acting Governor from November 24, 1890 until January 2, 1893. He was assistant surgeon in the United States Army during the Spanish American War in 1898 and returned to Cheyenne after that conflict. Amos W. Barber died on May 19, 1915 and was buried in Cheyenne.

Inaugural proclamation 1890

The Amos W. Barber Collection

• Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congresses
•  Galveston
• Denver
• Omaha
• New Orleans
• Correspondence
• Hunting Requirements
• Women's Suffrage
• Hypnotism
• Complaints for lumber poaching
•  World's Fair/Columbia Exposition Commission
• Wyoming's participation in the World's Fair
• Petitions for Pardons
• 30 names
• Pardons Granted
• 2/3 of requested
• Requests, affidavits, and warrants
• Requisitions and Extraditions
• Horse Stealing
• Forgery
• Murder
• Indian and Military Affairs
• Indian arms procurement
• Buffalo
• Militia borrowing tents

Additional Resources

• "Amos W. Barber: An Army Surgeon as Governor", Wyoming State Archives blog piece, April 24, 2015. (accessed June 2015)