John William Barkley was born on September 2, 1889 in Braceville, Trumbull County, Ohio, the son of John and Josephine Kreitler Barkley. He attended a one-room district school in Braceville for eight years and graduated from Warren High School. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in 1911 from Allegheny College, attended Harvard University Law School for a year and received the degree of LLB in 1914 from the former Western Reserve University Law School.
From 1912 to 1917 John was a resident and worker first at Alta Social Settlement and then at Goodrich Social Settlement in Cleveland, Ohio.
During the years from 1917 to 1926 he was connected with the Business Department of the Cleveland Board of Education. Since 1939 he has been a member of the law firm of Squire, Sanders and Dempsey.
A member of the American, Ohio State, Cuyahoga County and Cleveland Bar Associations, John served as Mayor of the City of Shaker Heights from 1950 to 1955.
He was a member of Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights (Congregational) and served in 1932 as President of the Church board.
On June 2, 1917, he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret E. Megirt, of Union City, Pennsylvania, while a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. There were born of this marriage a son, who died February 29, 1944 in England while serving as a navigator with the Eighth Army Air Force and a daughter. On May 3, 1952, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Marie G. Harris, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
John William Barkley was made a Master Mason in Newton Falls Lodge No. 462, Newton Falls, Ohio, August 21, 1911. In 1920 he became a charter member and first Chaplain of Laurel Lodge No. 657, Cleveland, Ohio, serving in the various stations and places in the line of officers until he finished his term as Master of Laurel Lodge in 1927.
He became a Royal Arch Mason in Windermere Chapter No. 203, East Cleveland, June 2,1923; a Royal and Select Master in Woodward Council No. 118, Cleveland, December 14, 1946, and a Knight Templar in Heights Commandery No. 76, Cleveland Heights, February 11, 1947.
He became a member of each of the bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Cleveland, at the November Reunion, 1944. He became an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, 33°, A. A. S. R. at New York, September 24, 1952, and an Active member of the Supreme Council, 33°, A. A. S. R. at Chicago, September 24, 1953. He was a line officer in Bahurim Council, Valley of Cleveland, until his election as an Active Member of the Supreme Council made him ineligible to continue as an officer of a subordinate body. At the time of his death he was an Emeritus Member of the Supreme Council.
He was a member of Royal Order of Scotland, St. Benedict Conclave No. 34, Red Cross of Constantine, Cleveland, Ohio. Al Koran Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Cleveland, Ohio; AI Sirat Grotto M. O. V. P. E. R., Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Forest No. 70, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Cleveland, Ohio; Cleveland Court No. 14, Royal Order of Jesters, and Laurel Chapter No. 487, Order of the Eastern Star. He was privileged to hold Honorary Membership in nearly one hundred subordinate Lodges.
In 1943 he was appointed District Deputy Grand Master by M. W. Brother Alpheus A. Stephens, serving in that capacity for three years. In 1949 he was appointed Junior Grand Deacon by M. W. Brother William R. Pringle, Senior Grand Deacon in 1950, Grand Marshal in 1951, and Grand Orator in 1952. He was elected Junior Grand Warden in 1953, Senior Grand Warden in 1954, Deputy Grand Master in 1955, and in October, 1956, was elected and installed at Cincinnati as Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Ohio.
M. W. Brother Barkley passed away September 27, 1986 in Cleveland. Funeral Services and interment were private.