Clarence Clarke Barnett

In 1678 there was born at Londonderry, Ireland, John Bamett, ancestor lof our subject, who, with his famiIy, emigrated to America prior to 1730, settling in Hanover township, at that time Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, being among the first settlers in that section. One of the descendants of this family was a major in the Revolutionary war.

Allen Barnett, father of our subject, was born at Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 1799. ber of the family that came to Indiana in 1340, settling in Clarke’ county, where he remained until his death in 1879, attaining the age of ,eighty years. He was a coppersmith by trade and possessed considerable skill as a mechanic, being the inventor and constructor of the first cooking stove put into use west of the Alleghany mountains. This was patented in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1827. In 1838 he associated himself with Judge Read, purchased a steamboat and entered into the Arkansas river trade. Later he became a good land speculator, operating in several of the western states. Later he was made the managing officer of the First National Bank at Jeffersonville, Indiana. His farm at Charleston, Indiana, was kaown as the Elk Park farm, and this was his home at the time of his death. This land was a part of a patent grant to one of the soldiers of George Rogers Clark, It was left to the mother of our subject and is now in possession of Barton Barnett, the youngest son of the family and the brother of Clarence.

Allen Barnett’s first marriage was to Elizabeth Shaffer, of Louisville,’ Kentucky, by whom he had six children. His second companion was Edith Jacob, to whom he was married on October 21, 1847. Nine children were born to this union, Clarence, our subject, being the fourth in the order of birth. He was born in Clark county, Indiana, August 15, 1855. Receiving his early education at Barnett Academy he followed it with a course in the College of Pharmacy, Louisville, Kentucky.

He then went to Illinois, buying a portion of land that his father had previously entered, and remained there four years, and then returned to Clark county, purchasing farming interests and for the next nineteen years was engaged in the managing ,of agricultural affairs, also becoming connected with the Louisville Cement Company, and still retains that relationship. In order to secure better educational facilities for his children he removed to Hanover, Indiana, where the opportunities of Hanover College were available. This purpose being realized he moved on a sixty-three acre farm near Worthington, and put upon it almost all of the present improvements.

In January, 1877, he was joined in marriage to Mary Foster, of Owen county, Indiana, ‘daughter of Orlando E. and Louisa (Archer) Foster, natives of Kentucky, who after coming to Indiana, ended their days at Worthington. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett have been the parents of two children, Edith, the first born, was called hence in 1902. She was a junior in Hanover College. The second daughter, Mary, is a junior (1908) in DePauw University, where she is held in high esteem by both students and faculty. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett are active workers in the Methodist church. Mr. Barnett is a Republican in politics, but places principle above party, standing first of all for an honest and impartial discharge of public. duties. A half brother lof Mr, Barnett’s was a soldier during the Civil war, being, a member of the Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Artillery. He was wounded at the battle of Stone River, and on this account was honorably discharged. Two years later he succumbed to the effects of the wound thus received.

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"Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. with Reminiscences of Pioneer Days", B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, IN, 1908, Vol. 2 817-19

Last updated 8.11.2009