Lewis H. "Lou" Barnes 1855-1959

BARNES, WHITMORE, WANAMAKER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 1/15/2014 at 23:37:03

Oldest Resident of County Dies at 103
Lewis Barnes, 103, Emmet County’s oldest resident and the oldest living retired employee of the Rock Island railroad, died last night at the Origer-Tracy Rest Home following a short illness. He had been in good health until recently.

He was born Sept. 28, 1855 at Blue Island, Ill., the son of Henrietta and Henry Barnes. His father operated a wagon shop in Chicago at the time, and the family moved to Iowa City by prairie schooner when Lewis was 20 months old. His father died when the boy was 2 ½ years old. He received his education in the Iowa City schools and moved to Dysart when he was 14 o make his home with an uncle.

Mr. Barnes recalled that when he was a small boy he often sold apples to soldiers leaving for the Civil War, and that they would spear the apples with their rifle bayonets.

Mr. Barnes was married to Margreth Whitmore Feb. 12, 1880, at Dysart. They came to Estherville in 1882, and he began work for the Rock Island railroad as brakeman and later was baggageman until his retirement in October, 1948 [1943?]. This railroad line was being built through this area when he began work for it.

His crew received orders to report to Iowa Falls in the spring of 1884 to pick up a boat, which was the Queen, around which the Iowa Navy revolves.

The boat was brought from Dubuque on the Illinois Central on two flat cars, taken to the Orleans station and launched on Big Spirit lake. Mr. Barnes was commissioned a commander in the Iowa Navy in May, 1954. In 1955 he was promoted to honorary Admiral in the Iowa Navy, one of the few to receive such an honor.

Mr. Barnes was a member of the Methodist Church and a life member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Elks. He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. L.C. Wanamaker, with whom he made his home until moving to the Origer-Tracy Rest Home, one grandson, William A. Barnes Jr. of Minneapolis and one great-grandson, William A. Barnes III and one great-granddaughter, Sarah Barnes, all of Minneapolis.

He was preceded in death by his wife in April 15, 1936; his son, William A. Barnes in February, 1947, three brothers and three sisters.

Funeral services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Sternborg Chapel, the Rev. William R. Noland officiating. Friends may call at the Sternborg Funeral Home from Friday evening until time of services. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, April 30, 1959)

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Lewis Barnes, Emmet County’s oldest resident died recently at the age of 103. He was the oldest living employee of the Rock Island Railroad. (LeMars Globe-Post, Lemars, IA, Jun 18, 1959)

Dies at 103
Estherville – Lewis Barnes, 103, Emmet County’s oldest resident, died at a rest home here Wednesday [April 29, 1959] night after a brief illness. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, Estherville, IA, April 30, 1959)

Estherville Man is Dead at 103
Estherville – Lewis Barnes, 103, Emmet County’s oldest resident, died at a rest home here Wednesday night after a brief illness.

He was the oldest living employee of the Rock Island Railroad. He went to work for the railroad Feb. 12, 1882 as a brakeman and later became a conductor. He retired in 1948.

A daughter, Mrs. L. C. Wanamaker of Estherville, survives him.

Services are pending. (Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune, Muscatine, IA, April 30, 1959)