Remembering Sam Elwood Barnhart, aka ‘Western 15’
Sam Elwood Barnhart Jr. lives just outside of Clear Spring on a long high mountain lane in the midst of trees galore. It is a sight to behold overlooking the valley; the Washington Monument can be seen in a distance from his perch.
I went to visit Sam to hear an interesting story about his dad, "Sam Elwood Barnhart" Senior.
His dad was a member of the "greatest" generation and was drafted into the army during World War II.
When he reported for military duty, or so this story goes, they asked him his name and he replied "Junior," the name on his birth certificate. “A first and middle name is required," said the sergeant, so he replied, "Sam Elwood Barnhart;" Sam and Elwood were two of his army friends, and that name stuck for the rest of his life.
Sam returned home from war and married his newfound sweetheart Joan Metcalf (Scott) on July 15, 1948. He joked that she once found an uncashed check and decided to marry him; I’m thinking more likely that Joan wanted to make sure her man had a job. Smile!
Later on, they had six kids; Mara Marie, Lovesse Ann, Patsy Sue, Sam Jr., William and Timothy.
Sam and Joan were married for 55 years.
Sam, early in life, had worked on a farm and had several other jobs, but dreamed of becoming a forest ranger.
He was most fond of the woods, the wild morels, the game he hunted and the beauty of the forest. A forest ranger job would be perfect.
In 1962, his dream became reality, and soon he was working in fire towers, patrolling the forest and fighting fires. His new name was Ranger Sam Elwood Barnhart and his call sign was "Western 15."
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He was often required to carry some 80-100 pounds of firefighting equipment with him as he fought mountain fires.
Additionally, he was initially assigned a 1963 Chevrolet Fire Truck. This truck was a six-cylinder three speed, manual shift, two-wheel drive, with an 8-foot bed. It was equipped with a 5 gal./min. pumper mounted and 30 gallons of water in a tank.
Firefighting equipment on the truck included fire rakes, brush axes, shovels, can-hook and back pack Indian tanks to carry water.
Most of this equipment had to be carried by rangers on foot because two-wheel drive trucks could not go deep into the forest.
Sam Sr. and the truck became immediate friends. Meanwhile, his son Sam Jr. also took an interest in his dad’s job and became nearly a 20-year volunteer Natural Resource Police Officer.
They traveled together on many trips and fire-related situations, and Sam Jr. told me that the Point of Rocks area presented some extreme difficulties because of rough terrain.
Sam Sr. retired in 1989 from Natural Resources and on his last day bid farewell to his current truck and asked his boss Larry, “I wonder if this is how a person feels when they know they are dying; sure, did think a lot of that truck."
Sam Sr. loved his job, his 1963 truck, his call sign "Western 15" and the company of his son throughout his forest ranger career.
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He deeply loved his wife Joan, his family, his neighbors, and all he encountered were friends.
Sam Elwood Barnhart Senior left this life on April 24, 2004.
Sam Jr. gave a fitting eulogy at his dad’s service saying:
"Dad was a kind, caring and gentle man who loved his family and people, but was also concerned about their soul; he told of his dad helping a stranded woman; he made frequent trips to The Rescue Mission to play his harmonica and juice harp for folks there; and he firmly believed there was a ‘hereafter’ that awaits each one of us."
It was one of the largest funerals ever attended at the Evangel Baptist Church on Broadfording Road.
In honor and memory of his dad, Sam Jr. found a replica of that 1963 firetruck and restored the entire truck from the smallest screw to the largest detail. Countless dollars and man-hours were invested with love in that project.
Sam Sr. would have been most proud of this memorial.
That 1963 truck was gifted by Sam Jr. to the Conservation Agency Museum (Greg Bartles) of Boonsboro, Maryland. Anyone interested in using this vehicle in a parade or event should contact Greg. It is a real beauty which captures a most unique history.
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And as those loved ones departed the funeral service, perhaps everyone had just one thought:
"I sure did think a lot of that Sam Elwood Barnhart Sr."
“He had a heart as big as a barn,” said Sam Jr.
Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Sam Elwood Barnhart, aka ‘Western 15’
