BARGER, Elias Strong (1813-1867) of Buffalo, N.Y., and in partnership with Reuben C. Sage in 1854-55 (see list of works under Sage & Barger). Their firm was credited with the design of the Canada Life Assurance Co. headquarters building in Hamilton, Ont., built 1855-56; demol. c. 1928.
Barger was born in 1813 and was recorded in the 1850 U.S. Census as living in Buffalo, N.Y. and working in the building trades as a joiner. He may have known or worked with another joiner Reuben Sage, also active in Buffalo at this time, and both formed an architectural partnership in 1854. Together they obtained a commission in June 1855 to design and supervise the construction of the Canada Life Assurance Building in Hamilton, Ont, but just 4 months later, the partnership between Sage and Barger had been dissolved by mutual consent (Buffalo Morning Express, 29 Sept. 1855, 3), leaving Sage to complete the project with a new partner Harlow M. Wilcox. Barger continued to work in the Buffalo area and by 1865 he was living in nearby Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N.Y.. He later died in Westfield on 26 March 1867 and was buried at Westfield Cemetery.