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THEODORE C. BARNES is properly accorded recognition
in this volume, by reason of his standing as a representative farmer of
Kalamo township and as a member of one of the honored pioneer families
of Eaton county, which has been his home from the time of his nativity.
He was born in Delta township, October 28, 1846, and is a son of Lansing
and Maria (Fuller) Barnes, the former of whom was born in Blenhaim
township, Schoharie county, New York, August 19, 1806, and the latter in
Floyd township, Oneida county, that state, April 12, 1808. Both passed
the closing years of their lives in the home of the subject of this
review, where the father died January 29, 1881, and the mother August
10, 1883. They were married in the state of New York, whence they came
to Eaton county, Michigan, in 1844, settling in Delta township. The
father was employed at day labor until 1847, when he bought eighty acres
of wild land in Kent county, where he took up his residence, eventually
reclaiming about forty acres. At the expiration of eleven years he sold
the property and started for the west, but after proceeding into
Illinois he became discouraged and turned back, passing eight months on
a farm which he rented in Branch county and then coming to Eaton county,
his sons here taking up eighty acres of land in section 5, Kalamo
township, where he passed the remainder of his life. He was a Republican
in politics, having joined the ranks of this party at the time of its
organization, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist
church. The subject of this sketch provided for his parents during their
declining years and both died in the old log house which stood on the
site of his present attractive residence. This worthy couple became the
parents of nine children, and concerning them brief record is here
entered James F., who was born in Floyd township, Oneida county, New
York, went to Wisconsin and was there three years before the outbreak of
the war of the Rebellion, when he entered a volunteer regiment for a
three months' term, later reenlisting as a member of Company E,
Twenty-fourth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, in which he became first
sergeant. He died at Nashville, Tennessee, March 24, 1864, from the
effects of a wound received in the battle of Missionary Ridge. Albert
R., born in the same township, May 27, 1831, died in Kalamo township,
Eaton county, July 29, 1892. He married Levina Matteson, who survives
him, as do also two of their four sons. John L., born in Floyd township,
Oneida county, New York, February 13, 1833, died at Manton, Wexford
county, Michigan, March 2, 1887. He married Alida Brundage and of their
eight children two are deceased. Sarah, born in the same place in New
York, February 17, 1835, first married Solomon Swan, who is survived by
one son and one daughter. After his death she became the wife of Robert
Means, and they reside in Kalamo township, having two children. Mr.
Means was a member of the First Michigan Engineers & Mechanics in
the civil war. Porter, born in Canastota, Madison county, New York,
October 22, 1836, died in Barry county, Michigan, February 2, 1905. He
married Louise Everett, who survives him, as do three of their four
children. Newell, born in Smithfield, Madison county, New York, January
19, 1838, is a prosperous farmer of Vermontville township, his farm
lying across the road from that of the subject of this review. He
married Emma Cooley and four of their five children are living He served
three years in the civil war as a member of the Sixth Michigan Heavy
Artillery. Lot F., born in Georgetown, Madison county, New York, August
31, 1841, died in Kalamo township, Eaton county, Michigan, March 14,
1863, from the effects of disease contracted while serving as a soldier
in Company E., Sixth Michigan Heavy Artillery, of which company his
brother, Newell, also was a member. Theodore C., whose name initiates
this article, was the next in order of birth. Malentha, born in Lowell,
Kent county, Michigan, May 6, 1848, is the wife of Levi Evans, of
Bellevue township, Eaton county, who was sergeant of his company in the
First Michigan Mechanics & Engineers in the war of the Rebellion.
Theodore C. Barnes was educated in the district schools and at the age
of eighteen years he gave evidence of his intrinsic loyalty to his
country by enlisting. August 31, 1864, as a member of Company. E, First
Michigan Volunteer Light Artillery, being mustered in the same day and
joining his command at Nashville, Tennessee. He continued in service
until the close of the war, having been mustered out, in the city of
Jackson, Michigan, July 31, 1865, and having duly received his honorable
discharge. He retains an interest in his old comrades and shows the same
by his membership in. the Grand Army of the Republic. A portion of the
money which he had saved from his pay while a soldier he applied toward
the purchase price of the eighty-acre farm which he and his brothers had
previously bought, as already mentioned in this article. When the
property was divided he took forty acres of the original tract and
twenty acres of another eighty acres which they had purchased, in the
same section. He then went to work for his brother, Porter, agreeing to
work two years while the latter was to assist him in the erection of a
house on his own farm. In the meanwhile, in 1867, Mr. Barnes purchased
the forty acres, in section 5, Kalamo township, on which he now resides,
and he secured a yoke of oxen by cutting twenty acres of timber. His
brother released him from his promise to remain in his employ two years,
and the brother was accordingly released from his agreement to assist in
the erection of a house, as noted. After purchasing the last mentioned
forty acres, on which a log house had been erected, Mr. Barnes sold
twenty acres to his brother Porter and bought forty acres adjoining on
the east, so that his present landed estate comprises one hundred and
twenty acres, practically the entire place being now under cultivation
and the improvements being of excellent type. In 1887 Mr. Barnes erected
his present commodious frame residence, on the site of the original log
house, and he has also built a fine barn and other farm buildings. He
takes a local interest in public affairs of local order and is a stanch
Republican, though never an aspirant for office. He and his wife are
members of the Evangelical church. June 17, 1872, Mr. Barnes married
Miss Eliza Everett, who was born in Castleton township, Barry county,
Michigan, April 3, 1857. She is a daughter of Levi and Eliza (Brooks)
Everett, both natives of the state of New York, where the former was
born December 21, 1818, and the latter July 1, 1821. The father died at
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Barnes, May 3, 1894, his first wife dying
in Barry county, Michigan, in 1863. He later married Mary Kocher, who
died in 1887, two of the children of this union having died in infancy,
and Levi being a prosperous farmer of Eaton county. The parents of Mrs.
Barnes were married in 1840, in Tompkins county, New York, and in 1843
they came to Michigan, locating in Berrien county, where they remained
until 1850, when they removed to Barry county, where Mr. Everett became
one of the first settlers in Castleton township, reclaiming a farm of
forty acres. He later resided for a number of years in Nashville, that
county. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and he was a Republican in politics. Following is a record concerning
the children of Levi and Eliza (Brooks) Everett: Sarah. born March 31,
1840, died November 19, 1893, having been the wife of Solomon Feighner;
Merritt, born November 19, 1841, is a farmer of Maple Grove township,
Barry county; Louisa, born May 14, 1814, was the wife of Porter Barnes,
brother of the subject of this sketch, and she died January 2, 1904;
Warren, born October 27, 1846, is a resident of Gastleton township,
Barry county; Albert, born September 17, 1849, is a farmer of
Vermontville township, Eaton county; Eliza, Mrs. Theodore C. Barnes, is
the youngest of the children. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have four children:
Ernest, born December 15, 1874, is associated in the management and
operation of the homestead farm of his father. He married Miss Flora
Wells, and they have one child, Leah, born April 2, 1897. Minnie, born
December 17, 1876, is the wife of Andrew Dolback, of Vermontville
township, and they have a daughter, Fern, born September 13, 1895.
Nettie, born July 1, 1879, is the wife of Isaac Johnson, of Kalamo
township: they have one child, Freda, born December 5, 1905. Arza, born
September 22, 1882, remains at the parental home. Source: Anonymous. The Past and present of Eaton County, Michigan, historically together with biographical sketches of many of its leading and prominent citizens and illustrious dead. Lansing, Mich.: Michigan Historical Pub. Association, 19--, pp. 173-175.
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