Archives On The Air 114: Sagebrush Philosophy—Minnie F. And Merris Clark Barrow Papers

By Wyoming Public Media

Published February 14, 2019 at 12:33 PM MST

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Business license from Douglas, Wyoming, issued to Minnie F. Barrow, 1912. Box 2, Minnie F. and Merris Clark Barrow papers.

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Business license from Douglas, Wyoming, issued to Minnie F. Barrow, 1912. Box 2, Minnie F. and Merris Clark Barrow papers.

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Business correspondence from J.W. Butler Paper Company to Minnie and Merris Barrow, 1910. Box 2, Minnie F. and Merris Clark Barrow papers.

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Business correspondence from J.W. Butler Paper Company to Minnie and Merris Barrow, 1910. Box 2, Minnie F. and Merris Clark Barrow papers.

Minnie and Merris Barrow were early Wyoming settlers.

The Barrows moved to Laramie in 1877. Merris worked for the Laramie Boomerang Newspaper until 1886. Then the Barrows launched their own paper, Bill Barlow's Budget. Merris was editor and Minnie was bookkeeper.

Douglas, Wyoming was founded in the fall of 1886 and the Barrows moved their weekly newspaper to the new town. In 1904, the newspaper began publishing a monthly supplement, Sagebrush Philosophy. It was written by Merris under the pen name Bill Barlow.

Merris died in 1910. Minnie continued the businesses and published a selection of Bill Barlow columns in a book called The World of Just You and I.

Minnie and Merris Barrow's business records and their Sagebrush Philosophy are available at UW's American Heritage Center.