My Genealogy Hound

Judge J. B. Barnett, cashier of the Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank at Humansville, Mo., was born on Blue Grass soil, near Bowling Green, in Warren County, Ky., on the 28th of February, 1843, and there grew to manhood. In 1861 he came to Missouri, and located on Twenty-five Mile Prairie, in Polk County, but the same year joined the Home Guards of Missouri, serving about four months, until the battle of Wilson’s Creek, after which he enlisted in Company C, Eighth Missouri State Militia, and was in active service until the close of the war, the most of the time being on detached duty at Springfield, Mo. After peace had been declared he returned to his home and was married to Miss Susan Tillony, and, after spending about two months in Kentucky, he returned to Missouri, and farmed in Polk County until 1870, when he came to Humansville, and was a successful merchant until 1882. In the meantime he had become interested in the banking business, and formed a partnership with O. W. Fisher, with whom he has since been connected. Mr. Barnett has been in public life a great deal, and from 1868 to 1870 served as justice of the peace, and from 1870 to 1874 was justice of the county court. He is a prominent member of the Southwest Missouri Emigration Society, of which he is third vice-president, and is one of its directors from Polk County. He is a member of the G. A. R., a Chapter Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. To their union three sons and five daughters were born: Emma, wife of D. A. Murphy; Alice, wife of T. M. Callahan, of Washington; Hattie, wife of C. H. Ramsey; Carrie, a student of Baird College, Clinton, Mo.; Jennie, Willie, Harry and Charles. Judge Barnett’s parents, Elisha and Emeline (Skaggs) Barnett, were born in Kentucky.