ALMON H. BARNES
Page 451
ALMON H. BARNES
Page 451
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ALMON H. BARNES has made farming his life work, and his energies are now devoted to that pursuit. He resides on section 30, Forest City Township, Mason County, and is recognized as one of the representative farmers of the community. He is the son of Deacon Nathan Barnes, of whom a history is given in the sketch of George E., and was born October 16, 1842, in Greenfield, Hillsboro County, N. H. Our subject was nine years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Bunker Hill, Macoupin County, this state, and in that place attended the common schools and acquired a fair education. He came to this county when a lad of fifteen or sixteen years, and after working for a time for Richard Allen of Havana Township, returned home and again carried on his studies in the public school. August 6, 1862, Mr. Barnes enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause, and joined Company A, Ninety-seventh Illinois Infantry as a private. The regiment was organized at Springfield under Colonel Rutherford, and was later sent to Covington, Ky. From there they marched after General Morgan to Lexington, Ky., then to Louisville, where they embarked on a boat which conveyed them down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, and then down the Father of Waters to Vicksburg, where they made the first attack upon that city, under the command of General Sherman. After that siege the regiment sailed down the Yazoo River to Young's Point, and later went to Arkansas Post, where they captured the fort and took many prisoners. They then returned to Young's Point, where they went into winter quarters until the spring of 1863, when the army was re-organized under General Grant. Our subject's division formed a part of General McClernand Corps, and being ordered to Vicksburg marched around to the rear of that city and was engaged in a fight at Magnolia Hills. Our subject served all through the siege of that city and was under fire from May 1 to July 4, 1863. On the above date the regiment to which Mr. Barnes belonged immediately started on a march to Jackson, Miss., where they drove out General Joe E. Johnston. Returning to Vicksburg our subject was given a furlough on account of sickness and returned home. After a short time spent in rest he rejoined his regiment at New Orleans, Ind., and did provost duty until July, 1864, when he was sent with others to Milliken's Bend, on the Mississippi River, and skirmished with the rebels. Later they went on a raid to Natchez, and when the army was again re-organized Mr. Barnes' regiment was placed under the command of General Steel, and going to Dauphin Isle crossed the Mississippi and skirmished with the enemy. They then went by boat to Florida, thence to Blakely, opposite Mobile, where a battle was fought and the fort captured. They then sailed up the Alabama River to Selma, from there were sent back to Mobile, and by ship went to Galveston, Tex., where they were mustered out. Our subject from there went to New Orleans, thence to Camp Butler, where he received his honorable discharge August 19, 1865, after a term of three years and eleven days. During the time Mr. Barnes was in the trenches before Vicksburg, he was grazed by a bullet on the right leg, and although a soldier for so many years, was never off duty excepting the short time he spent at home. After the war our subject worked for his brother in Bunker Hill for two years, and then, in 1867, came to this county and carried on a farm as a renter in company with his brother John B. They erected a board shanty and kept bachelor's hall on the place until the fall of the succeeding year, when he purchased the farm where he is at preset residing are erected thereon a good residence. In 1869 he boarded with the family of the Rev. John Pinckney, who had moved into his house, and August 17 of that year, he was married to their only daughter, Miss Annie E. Her mother was, prior to her union, Miss Mary Freek, and both patents were natives of England. Mr. Pinckney was a minister of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and died in 1873. The mother is still living and makes her home with our subject. Mrs. Barnes was born August 26, 1848, in Williamson Corners, N. Y., and had become the mother of six children, of whom Fannie L., Della M., Willis P., Lillie I., and an infant unnamed are deceased. The surviving child is named Tessie. Mr. Barnes gives his attention exclusively to farming, and owns one hundred and twenty acres of improved land. In 1887 he completed his present comfortable residence, and all the substantial buildings on the place have been the result of his industry. With his wife he is a member of the Christian Church, worshipping with the congregation at Pleasant Plain. He has been School Director of District No. 2 for seven years, and his daughter has been given a good education. Our subject attends his regimental reunion, which is held each fall in different cities in the United States. He is a strong Republican in politics, and has served for three years as Road Commissioner. Socially, he is a Modern Woodman of American, meeting with the lodge at Forest City |