BIOGRAPHY: John Thomas Barnes; Cortland, Cortland co., NY
surname: Barnes, Welton, Davis

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Book of Biographies.
This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cortland
County, N.Y.
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y. 1898

     JOHN THOMAS BARNES, an honored and esteemed elderly resident of Cortland
village, now retired from active work, and living on the competence gained by
former years of labor, was born December 29, 1818, in the town of Plymouth,
Chenango County, N. Y., and was a son of John Barnes, a native of the Green
Mountain  State, who early in its history made a settlement in Chenango
County. As it was a new country, and much of it still a wilderness, he
purchased new land, on which he felled the trees and was busied in all those
labors that go to make the life of a pioneer so full of hardship and hard
work. He cleared a large farm by his indefatigable efforts, and became one of
the successful farmers of his day, being in comfortable circumstances and
well-to-do. He died on the farm at the age of seventy-five. His wife, who
before her marriage to him was a Miss Chloe Welton of Connecticut, lived to be
seventy-nine years of age. Their children were: Lucius, who lived to be
eighty-five years old; Lorinda; Philura; Laura; Martha; John T., our subject;
and Chloe, who with the one just mentioned are the only members of this family
still living.

     John T. Barnes began his life-work as a farmer, but after his marriage
to Sophronia Davis, daughter of John Davis, of Plymouth, a pioneer farmer of
the county, he moved to Cortland in 1852 and started a grocery store opposite
the Cortland House, but disposed of his business a few years later, when he
served as deputy sheriff for two terms. After performing the duties of his
official position, he started a lumber yard, and dealt in lumber of all kinds
where Henry Benton is now located. He was in the custom of going to Canada for
a great part of his lumber. He finally sold out, when he was again given the
office of sheriff, and as the instrument of the courts of the county for four
years efficiently performed the duties of his position. He then began the
bottling of rectified sweet cider, and built up a large trade ; hundreds of
miles away, his name on a bottle of cider was a sufficient guarantee that the
contents were the best on the market. To accommodate the great demands he
built a factory on Railroad Street, and had all the work he could attend to as
long, as he continued at the industry. He also built two large and handsome
residences, besides a cottage; the residence where he now resides is one of
the best in the village, and of recent construction, for it was erected in
1890. The home is surrounded by large and spacious grounds, which Mr. Barnes
delights in keeping in first-class shape. He retired from active business in
1890, and so has been able in his spare time to oversee and direct the many
improvements that have made his dwellings and grounds so tasty and inviting.

     Mr. Barnes has been in his best days one of the most active men in the
village, and has been its president. One child has been born to him and his
wife, a son, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes, both endowed with
strong, vigorous constitutions, have enjoyed a singularly happy and useful
life, not devoid of a sufficient amount of pleasure to give variety, and
worthy of imitation in every respect. Mr. Barnes is the assistant and
encourager of every good work and purpose tending to the welfare of his
community, and is held in high esteem by his townsmen.