BARNES, WILLIAM T. (1839 ~ 1921). Confederate veteran William T. Barnes was born in Georgia in 1839.
Barnes was a private in Company B of the Georgia Infantry, Whiteside's Naval Battalion, Local Defense. The only known battle his company participated in was Gettysburg. Only one of Barnes' military records has been located, showing him present in Muscogee County, Georgia, but no date is given.
When Barnes applied for a Confederate pension in 1915, he said he fought for the Confederacy for the duration of the war, from 1861 until 1865. During those years he helped manufacture guns and was at some point transferred to a Naval Department gun boat. He also said he was detailed during service to work in government shops. His company was paroled in Columbus, Georgia in May of 1865.
Barnes lived in Georgia for a time after the War. It was there that he married a woman named Susan, and had two children, Ida, and Ora. The Barnes family moved to Texas in 1871 and had another daughter named Notie.
According to the 1880 Census, the Barnes family was living in Daingerfield, Morris County, Texas. William was a gin manufacturer, Susan kept house, and all three daughters were listed as "at school."
In 1908, Barnes moved to Pittsburg, Texas in Camp County. It is uncertain if his wife was still living at the time. In Pittsburg, William ran a cold drink stand.
On October 8, 1917, he was admitted to the Texas Confederate Men's Home. He listed his religious preference as Methodist. Barnes' daughter, Ora Kimbell, lived in Pittsburg, Texas and was his only listed correspondent.
William T. Barnes died May 22, 1921 and was buried at the Texas State Cemetery.
Information taken from Barnes compiled military service records, Confederate Home Roster, Confederate Pension Application, familysearch.org, and the National Park Service website at itd.nps.gov. |
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