BARTER, Jonas C. (1875-1939), a native of Newfoundland, trained as a carpenter under his uncle Richard Barter and later worked with the building firm of Boland & Ryan. Not satisfied with a career as a joiner, he left for Boston and studied architecture at the College of Technical Art where he '..graduated with the highest honours given to pupils in the school'. He returned to St. John's in 1900 and quickly built up a practice serving residential and ecclesiastical clients. He had '..the double advantage of being both an architect and a practical carpenter, which accounts for his success in a considerable way'. Much of his work was commissioned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Newfoundland, and his designs for churches were invariably Gothic in style and often executed in wood frame construction. Barter founded the Concrete Block Co. in 1905, the first of its kind on the Island, and he aggressively promoted the use of 'Barter Stone' in local buildings, including those he designed himself (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 27 Jan. 1906, 10). After 1920 he became involved in local politics and only a few works can be attributed to him during this period. He served as a campaign manager in St. John's East and ran successfully in municipal elections. Barter died in St. John's on 11 May 1939 (obit. St. John's Daily News, 12 May 1939, 12; biog. and list of works Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
ST. JOHN'S
ST. PATRICK'S HALL, major addition, 1901 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 3 June 1901, 4)
DUCKWORTH STREET, on the north side, a frame residence for T. Kavanagh, 1902 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 11 July 1902, 1, t.c.)
ST. JOHN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Cathedral Square, extensive interior alterations, the relocation and rebuilding of the altar, and installation of a new coffered ceiling, 1902-03 (Newfoundland Quarterly [St. John's], iv, June 1904, 4 (ff) & 5, illus. & descrip.; v, July 1905, 3; Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 19 Dec. 1903, 1)
NEW GOWER STREET, a residence and shop for Mr. Bambrick, located at 210 New Gower Street, 1903 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 20 April 1903, 1, t.c.)
LE MARCHANT ROAD, 'White House', a residence for Hon. Edward M. Jackman, c. 1903 (Newfoundland Quarterly [St. John's], iii, Sept. 1903, 15, 17, illus.)
P. LARNEY & CO., retail store, located "....opposite the Post Office", 1903 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 27 Oct. 1903, 3)
GEORGE STREET, a block of tenement houses for Mr.. Rennie, 1903 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 27 Oct. 1903, 3)
PRINCE'S STREET, commercial block for H. Brownrigg, 1904 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 21 Jan. 1905, 1)
DUCKWORTH STREET, at Prescott Street, commercial block for C.P. Eagan, 1904 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 21 Jan. 1905, 1)
O'DONEL MEMORIAL HALL, 1905 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 14 Aug. 1905, 4, descrip.)
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST ARCH, cornerstone ceremony for the re-erection of the arch, 1906-07 (Evening Telegram [St. John's], 23 Nov. 1906, 6)
ST. BONAVENTURE'S COLLEGE, major addition, 1907-08 (Newfoundland Quarterly, x, July 1910, 9, illus.)
PRINCE'S RINK, with laying out of the Manufacturer's Exhibition, 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
NEWFOUNDLAND CLOTHING CO., factory for Mr. Mayers, 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
RENNIE'S MILL ROAD, residence for D.A. Ryan, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
DUCKWORTH STREET, residence for Thomas Kavanaugh, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
DUCKWORTH STREET, residence for Dr. Mitchell, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
LITTLEDALE CHAPEL, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, a lodge at the East Gate, 1910 (dwgs. Nfld. Dept. of Public Works)
CITY HALL, Duckworth Street, interior renovations, 1911; demol. (Evening Herald [St. John's], 9 Aug. 1911, 4)
ST. PATRICK'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, new floor throughout the interior, with new pews, and new stone steps at front entrance, 1917 (Daily Star [St. John's], 6 Jan. 1917, 8)
ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Quidi Vidi Road, Hoylestown, 1917; church deconsecrated 1954 and now used as church hall, (C.R., xxxi, 14 March 1917, 69)
ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Quidi Vidi Road, Hoylestown, 1918 (St. John's Daily Star, 10 Sept. 1918, 8, descrip.)
QUIDI VIDI ROAD, a group of 8 semi-detached houses (or 16 dwellings) for the St. John's Municipal Council, 1918 (St. John's Daily Star, 26 Aug. 1918, 7, t.c.)
WORKMEN'S HOUSES, Quidi Vidi Road, a group of 5 detached double houses (or ten dwellings) for workmen, for the St. John's Municipal Council, 1919 (Evening Advocate [St. John's], 28 June 1919, 8, t.c. and article)
(with Delano & Aldrich, New York City) ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, Military Road, extensive repairs and restoration, 1920 (St. John's Daily Star, 13 April 1920, 12, descrip.)
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS MEMORIAL SCHOOL, Military Road, 1921 (Daily News [St. John's], 13 Oct. 1921, 5, descrip.; Newfoundland Quarterly, xxi, Oct. 1921, 34, illus.; Dec. 1921, 7-8, illus. & descrip.)
ELSEWHERE
ST. BRIDE'S, NFLD., rectory for Rev. Father Renouf, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
ST. LAWRENCE, NFLD., rectory for Rev. Father Maher, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
PLACENTIA, NFLD., Roman Catholic Church, c. 1910 (Trade Review & Commercial Annual [St. John's], 31 Dec. 1910, 2)
GRAND FALLS, NFLD., Court House, 1910 (M. Carter, Early Canadian Court Houses, 1983, 34, 236, illus.)
HEART'S CONTENT, NFLD., a Trans-Atlantic cable station, measuring 80 ft. x 80 ft., 1918 (St. John's Daily Star, 2 Aug. 1918, 8)