Philip Barry Farmstead
1913 S. Fish Hatchery Rd., Fitchburg WI

Philip Barry land, 1890

Michael and Mary Barry with their children, including Philip (born July 1838) were early settlers to what would become Fitchburg. Philip lived with his parents until after 1870. By 1873 Philip owned considerable land in sections 28, 33 and 34 but not the land he would build his house on. In 1880 he married Mary McKenna and by 1890 he had bought from Emanuel Showers the farmland where his house was built.  It is estimated that his house was built about 1890. Besides the house, there was a pump house, a corn crib and a barn with two concrete silos built in stages from 1900 to 1920.

Philip was active in politics being elected to the Town Chair six separate times for a total of 15 years. As the position was not full time, he remained a farmer. He also was on the county board for several years until his death in 1919.

Old Philip Barry House, 2012

By 1931 Albert G. Doerfer owned the old Barry farmstead. In 1947, 1953 and 1955 Clara, Mr Doerfer’s wife owned the farmstead. The farmstead stayed in the Doerfer family as the Lloyd Doerfer Trust owned the farmstead in 2003. Sometime after 2013 the house was demolished and in 2019 the Four Winds Farm Fitchburg owned the land. In 2020 they were in the process of converting the old barn into small to large meeting rooms for the agricultural community. The land will be planted with a variety of crops.