Biographies: Tom Barnes, 1989, Winn Parish, LA. Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: December 13, 1989 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Tom Barnes Celebrates 100th Christmas Eve Has Heart of 50 Year Old Man Tom Barnes will experience something most people only dream about this Christmas Eve, his 100th birthday. Born in Winn Parish on December 24th, 1889, Barnes has made his home in Winn Parish for almost all of those years, with the only exception coming during his "rambling days." The desire to travel came at the death of his father when Barnes was only 9 years old. "I would have liked to have started my rambling then," Barnes said, "but I waited until I was 18 and then cut loose." His first job was in the timber industry "cutting logs" but Barnes had his sights on bigger and better things. "I started roughnecking, working in the oilfields for 50 cents a day," he said. "I worked everywhere, from Mexico to Canada, and from east to west coasts." But the rambling got old after a few years, and Barnes found himself back in Winn Parish. "I didn't get married until I was 36 years old (to Veda Higgs, who died in 1982 after 65 years of marriage), but when I did, it was time to settle down. I quit my rambling and started farming, raising cattle and hogs." When the subject turned to politics, Barnes admitted he had known Earl K. Long rather well. "Ole Earl was just a common man," Barnes told the Enterprise. "He raised cattle and hogs, too. I remember that he got the stock law exempted in the Dugdemona area 'cause he had a lot of hogs running loose in the area." Barnes gave a salty chuckle, "I didn't mind 'cause I did, too." Barnes eventually went to work for the U.S. Forest Service for 66 cents an hour. When he retired in 1965, his hourly wage was 86 cents. "That's the most money I ever made in an hour," he said. Many things have changed during the last 100 years but Barnes had some particular ideas about the areas he believed had seen the most change. "The styles," he said. "That's the biggest change. Not for men so much, but back when I was young, women wore long dresses, didn't wear shorts, and they wouldn't have been caught dead in a pair of pants. That's the biggest change, I think." But that wasn't all he had to say on the subject of change. "Preachers might have got anywhere from $ 5 to $ 20 a year to preach. It sure isn't like that any more." Barnes said he once knew a pastor who preached at the Pilgrim's Rest and Cypress Creek Churches and made only $ 25 a year. "That was back in the '20s," he said, "and the man came all the way from Natchitoches Parish to preach. He originally accepted the job for $ 15 a year. Money was scarce back in those days and people were glad to get what they did." Taxes? "There's always been taxes," he said, "and there always will. But many years ago the government made us start paying a tax on our chickens, hogs, and cattle. That was something Earl Long had abolished. He said he would not tax poor people for the things they depended on for their groceries and he got rid of it." Barnes said people were different, too. "They just aren't as friendly as they used to be," he said. "They would come for miles to see each other and help in sickness. People don't love each other like they used to." Tom Barnes has a sharp wit and loves to talk. His independent streak is still strong and is proven by the fact that he lives alone and does most of his own cooking. While his daughters, Maxine Kelley and Mary Belle Watson, say that is highly due to the fact that he is difficult to please. Barnes disagrees. "As long as I can do for myself," he stated, "I'm not going to a nursing home." Family members relate that Barnes has a remarkable constitution for his age. While he takes very little medication for someone of his years, he does manage two shots of whiskey a week. As for his diet, Barnes enjoys what he calls "common food." "I make my own biscuits and I've eat grease all my life," he said. "I love hot pepper and pork sausage. Them doctors say that stuff'll kill you but they don't know what they're talking about." According to his family, doctors have indicated that Barnes has the heart and internal organs of a 50 year old. "I eat common food," he said, "fresh and home prepared. I don't eat anything store processed or canned." It's obviously a lifestyle that agrees with him. Barnes family has planned a birthday celebration to be held at the A. Leonard Allen Building from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 17. All friends and relatives are asked to view this notice as an invitation to attend. "I'm not sure why I've managed to live so long," Barnes said at the conclusion of the interview, "but I've always tried to be honest and fair with people. I always paid my debts, I was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and I believe God's been with me."