Barnett, James H.

BARNETT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/26/2021 at 15:57:59

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.434

JAMES H. BARNETT
Death often removes from our midst those whom we can ill afford to lose, whose lives have been of such benefit to the community, that their loss brings a sense of personal bereavement to all. Such was the Honorable James H. Barnett, who was closely identified with the development of Indianola and Warren County during the greater part of his life. He became one of the active and prosperous business men and farmers and aside from his individual interests; he always found time and opportunity to aid in any measure or movement that was calculated to promote the upbuilding and welfare of the county. He died at his home, adjoining the corporation limits of Indianola, December 28, 1906. He was then but in the prime of his life, for his birth occurred in Shenandoah County, Virginia October 8, 1845.
His father, James Barnett, was reared in the Old Dominion [Virginia] and in 1847 removed with his family to Iowa, settling first in Virginia Township, Warren County, where he remained but a short time. There were comparatively few settlers within the borders of the county at that time and there were still many evidences of Indian occupancy. In the summer seasons the prairies were starred with millions of wild flowers and in midwinter were one dazzling unbroken sheet of snow. Only here and there had a settler established his home and begun the work of development and improvement.
James H. Barnett was only two years of age when brought by his family to this county. He was reared upon the home farm here and was educated in Simpson College, but in 1864 at the age of eighteen years – being the youngest to enlist from Warren County – he put aside all business and personal considerations and joined the Union Army as a member of the Forty-eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the War, when he was honorably discharged and returned home.
Mr. Barnett made arrangements for having a home of his own by his marriage in Iowa, on the 13th of October 1867, to Miss Mary C. Crosson, who was born, reared and educated in Mahaska County, Iowa, and is a daughter of Joseph C. Crosson, who was a native of the Buckeye State, his birth having occurred at Dayton, Ohio. He was reared, however, in Indiana, and was married there. He came with his family to Iowa and settled in Mahaska County where he spent his last years. His death occurred during the childhood of Mrs. Barnett. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett commenced their domestic life upon the farm, for he had purchased raw land which he broke and improved and as time passed he added to his possessions until he owned three hundred and eighty acres of valuable land adjoining the fair grounds. There he erected a good residence and all the necessary barns and outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He also fenced the place and set out an orchard and an attractive feature of his farm was a grove of three hundred chestnut trees so that his farm became known throughout the county as Chestnut farm. He also planted many pine, spruce and arbor vitae and made one of the most attractive farms of the countryside. He brought his fields under a high state of cultivation, producing such crops as were best adapted to the soil and climate and in addition to the tilling of the soil he engaged in importing, breeding and dealing in Percheron and other horses for twenty-five years. In this connection he was widely known throughout Iowa and he handled some of the finest stock produced in the state.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Barnett were born a son and daughter: LeMar C., a young man of good education and excellent business ability, and in charge of the farm which is divided equally between mother and children; and Alice, the wife of George F. Hunt, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mr. Barnett was active in many affairs of importance to his community. He was elected to and filled numerous local offices of honor and trust and in 1888 still higher political honors were conferred upon him in his election to the State Senate where he served with distinction for one term, acting on various important committees and aiding in shaping the constructive legislation of the committee rules. He was an active member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Indianola, serving through all of the chairs and was past grand. He was also a member of the Grand Army Post and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He possessed keen business discrimination and unfaltering energy and won not only a valuable property through his intense and well directed energy, but also by reason of his honorable methods, left to his family the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. During the last ten years of his life he was in ill health, yet managed to superintend his business interests until his last illness. Following his demise, Mrs. Barnett, assisted by her son, took charge of and cared for the farm and managed the business interests and she is still living on the old homestead which is situated in Lincoln Township. In the death of Mr. Barnett the county lost a representative and valued citizen, his associates a faithful and trustworthy friend and his family a devoted husband and father, his best traits of character ever being reserved for his own fireside.