author
John Marshall Barker
1849–1928
A Methodist minister and social scientist, he wrote about religion, education, and reform at a time when American society was changing fast. His books bring together scholarship, public debate, and a strong interest in how institutions shape everyday life.
1 Audiobook
Colleges in America
by John Marshall Barker
About the author
Born in Fredericktown, Ohio, in 1849, John Marshall Barker wrote in the fields of religion and social science. A local historical profile says he studied in the public schools there, earned an A.B. from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1874, and later received a B.D. from Boston University in 1877.
Barker's surviving books show the range of his interests. Colleges in America was published in 1894, and other works associated with him include History of Ohio Methodism: A Study in Social Science and The Saloon Problem and Social Reform. Together, they suggest a writer who was interested not only in church history, but also in education, public morals, and social reform.
He died in 1928. While detailed biographical material appears to be limited online, the record that remains presents him as a thoughtful nonfiction author whose work connected Methodist thought with broader questions about American society.