Editing Alben W. Barkley (section)

==Early life and education==
Willie Alben Barkley, the eldest of eight children of John Wilson Barkley (1854–1932) and Electa Eliza (Smith) Barkley (1858–1945), was born November 24, 1877.<ref name="kye522">Libbey in ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia'', p. 52</ref><ref>Libbey in ''Dear Alben'', pp. 1, 3</ref> His grandmother, [[midwife]] Amanda Barkley, delivered him in the log house she lived in with her husband, Alben, in [[Wheel, Kentucky]].<ref name=libbey1>Libbey in ''Dear Alben'', p. 1</ref> Barkley's parents were [[tenant farmer]]s who grew tobacco, and his father was an [[Presbyterian polity#Elder|elder]] in the local [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] church.<ref name=libbey3>Libby in ''Dear Alben'', p. 3</ref> Barkley traced his father's ancestry to [[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scots-Irish]] Presbyterians in [[Rowan County, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Witcover|first=Jules|title=The American Vice Presidency: From Irrelevance to Power|year=2014|chapter=35. Alben W. Barkley|publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian Books]]|isbn=978-1588344717}}</ref> Both parents were religious, opposed to playing cards and alcohol.<ref name=libbey3 /> Occasionally, Barkley's parents would leave him in the care of his grandparents for extended periods.<ref name=libbey2>Libbey in ''Dear Alben'', p. 2</ref> During these times, his grandmother related stories of her relatives. Her childhood playmates included future U.S. Vice President [[Adlai Stevenson&nbsp;I]] and [[James A. McKenzie]], a future U.S. representative from Kentucky.<ref name=libbey2 />

Barkley worked on his parents' farm and attended school in [[Lowes, Kentucky]], between the fall harvest and spring planting.<ref name=finch286>Finch, p. 286</ref> Unhappy with his birth name, he adopted "Alben William" as soon as he was old enough to express his opinion in the matter.<ref name=hatfield2>Hatfield, p. 2</ref> In the difficult economy of late 1891, relatives convinced Barkley's father to sell his farm and move to [[Clinton, Kentucky|Clinton]], to pursue opportunities as a tenant wheat farmer.<ref name=clinton343>Libbey in "Alben Barkley's Clinton Days", p. 343</ref> Barkley enrolled at a local seminary school, but did not finish his studies before entering Marvin College, a [[Methodism|Methodist]] school in Clinton that accepted younger students, in 1892.<ref name=clinton346>Libbey in "Alben Barkley's Clinton Days", p. 346</ref><ref name=libbey5>Libbey in ''Dear Alben'', p. 5</ref> The college's president offered him a scholarship that covered his academic expenses in exchange for his work as a janitor.<ref name=libbey5 /> He allowed Barkley to miss the first and last month of the academic year to help on the family farm.<ref name=libbey5 /> Barkley was active in the debating society at Marvin.<ref name=libbey6>Libbey in ''Dear Alben'', p. 6</ref> He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897, and his experiences at Marvin persuaded him to convert to Methodism, the denomination with which he identified for the rest of his life.<ref name=hatfield2 /><ref name=libbey5 /><ref name=congbio>"Barkley, Alben William". ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''</ref>

After graduation, Barkley went to [[Oxford College of Emory University|Emory College]] (now part of [[Emory University]]) in [[Oxford, Georgia]], the ''alma mater'' of several administrators and faculty members at Marvin.<ref name=clinton358>Libbey in "Alben Barkley's Clinton Days", p. 358</ref> During the 1897–1898 academic year, he was active in the debating society and the [[Delta Tau Delta]] fraternity, but he could not afford to continue his education and returned to Clinton after the spring semester.<ref name=clinton360>Libbey in "Alben Barkley's Clinton Days", p. 360</ref> He took a job teaching at Marvin College but did not make enough money to meet his basic living expenses.<ref name="kye522"/> He resigned in December 1898 to move with his parents to [[Paducah, Kentucky]], the [[county seat]] of [[McCracken County, Kentucky|McCracken County]], where his father found employment at a cordage mill.<ref name=clinton361>Libbey in "Alben Barkley's Clinton Days", p. 361</ref>