Barnes Family Page

Allied Families:

Spears
Yarber

Early Barnes

The name Barnes is of Norman origin and comes from the Norse word meaning warrior . After the Normans invaded England in 1066 the name spread thoughout the Britain and Ireland.

John Barnes of North Carolina

The first Barnes in the line was John Barnes who came from North Carolina to Georgia in 1805. John married Sarah Yarber, and they had seven children, including William Barnes. John's brothers Ben and Gideon moved to Tennessee or Kentucky. John Barnes served in the War of 1812 along with his son William.

William Barnes and Daughter Betsy Barnes of Georgia

William Barnes settled near what is now Barnesville, Georgia. William served in the War of 1812. William had a daughter named Elizabeth (Betsy) who married Henry W. Spears, who lived in Stewart, and later Webster, County.

Henry and Betsy's children were as follows:

• Amos Jefferson Spears, born August 31, 1822 in Georgia, married Frances Parker in Jones Co., Mississippi, and died March 28, 1900 in Terrell, Texas
• Archibald Spears, born October 22, 1825
• Eliza Ann Spears, born May 11, 1828, who married G. W. Montgomery [1]
• Henry William Spears, Jr., born March 21, 1830 and married Bethea A. Cato, daughter of Butt Lee Cato and Bethia Brewer. [1]
• John James Spears, born May 11, 1832
• Elizabeth Melissa Spears, born April 27, 1835, who married J. Montgomery [1]
• Benamin Franklin Spears, born October 03, 1837
• Walter Colquitt Spears, born March 20, 1839, married Addialade (Addie) _____
• Lucy Ellen Spears, born February 27, 1832, and married William F. Spann, son of Henry William Spann.

After Betsy's death Henry married Martha Thompson, and they had a son Dick Spears.

Henry Spears' sister Patience married Ben Barnes, Sr. and lived in Houston Co., Georgia, which lies adjacent Twiggs Co., where the Spears and Sapp families lived. Ben's relationship to William is unknown. Ben and Patience had the following children:

• Moses Barnes b: September 03, 1821 in Houston Co., Georgia
• Patience Barnes b: September 19, 1831 in Houston Co., Georgia, married Ben Lightfoot, and died in1883
• Ben Barnes, Jr. b: May 25, 1833
• Andrew J. Barnes b: January 10, 1835 in Crawford, Georgia
• Eliza Barnes b: April 10, 1837 in Crawford, Georgia, and married J. D. Adams.

Descendants of this line later moved to Johnson Co., Texas. There may be a relationship to Texas political and business leader Ben Barnes.

My Barnes Line

1. M. Lee Murrah
2. Ina Gertrude Johnson m. Earvin Elroy Murrah
3. Florence Ophelia Largent m. Franklin John Johnson
4. Eliza Azalee Spears m. Malcom David Largent
5. Amos Jefferson Spears m. Frances Parker
6. Betsy Barnes m. Henry William Spears
7. William Barnes
8. John Barnes m. Sarah Yarber

Published Genealogies and Other Sources

None known.

Barnes Resources on the Internet

• The Barnes Family
• Barnes Family Genealogy Forum

Updates and Corrections

The above information is based on the best s*ources currently available to the author and is subject to correction. If you have information that is different or additional to that shown above, I would like to receive it. Please contact me by e-mail and mention this web page in your message.

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