William Sharpe Barnes was born 1843 near or in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, NC, the 5th of 10 known surviving children (7 boys/3 girls) born to successful farmer Elias Barnes and his wife, Mahala Emma Sharpe (Sharp).
He was the paternal grandson of Jesse Barnes & Mary Edith Jordan; and gr-grandson of Dempsey Barnes Sr. & Sarah Dew, all of Edgecombe County. He is a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, Edward Barnes (c.1595), a London merchant who settled in the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1621. This branch of the Virginia Barnes family is believed to have come to Edgecombe Co, NC ca. 1700. On his mother's side he was the maternal grandson of Col. Benjamin Sharpe and Anna Farmer of Tarboro, Edgecombe County.
In about 1850, William's father moved the family to a farm in Saratoga, Wilson County, where he died in 1854. William's mother, Mahala, continued to live there and run the farm and raise her children.
William was well educated locally and would most likely have attended UNC had not the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, as both his older brothers were graduates. Instead, the 18-year old enlisted in Company F (Wilson Light Infantry), of the NC 4th Regiment North Carolina State Troops on June 28, 1861. In late 1861, he was promoted to sergeant. He later became adjutant (first lieutenant) on March 14, 1863, and transferred to the regimental staff of Colonel Bryan Grimes. William's older brother, Jesse Sharpe Barnes (1838-1862) also enlisted with the NC 4th and served as a Captain. He was killed May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines.
At war's end, William returned to Wilson County where in 1865 the 22-year old veteran married 23-year old Madeline Maude Crenshaw. The couple set up housekeeping in California Twp, Pitt County, where William was employed as a teacher.
William and Madeline would have 4 known children (3 boys/1 girl):
* Guy V. Williams (1866-1916)
* Rowlett Elmore Barnes (1870-1932)
* Annie Barnes WORTH (1873-1960)
* Ralph Ivor Barnes (1876-1862).
By 1880, the couple had moved to the Toisnot section of Wilson County, where William continued to teach.
By 1900, the family had removed once again to E. North Street in Raleigh, where 57-year old William was employed as a bookkeeper. At a time when most men were considering retirement, William went to school and became an optometrist, and was employed as such in 1910.
William Sharpe Barnes died July 20, 1924 at age 81. In his later years, the widower resided in the same home at E. North Street, with his son Ralph as head of household. Oakwood cemetery shows his wife buried in Oakwood only as "Mrs. William Sharpe Barnes" with a DOD as April 21, 1886; however, she appears with William on the 1900 census in Raleigh at age 58. Without a photograph of her headstone, it has not been possible to confirm her date of death, but it's possible she died in 1906, not 1886.
Three of his 4 children (Rowlett, Annie and Ralph) married and remained in the Raleigh area, and are buried here in Oakwood. Rowlett's marriage was childless, but both Annie and Ralph had children. Son, Guy V. Barnes, was a printer and stationery salesman, and removed to Kittrell, Vance County around 1910. He married May Ella Williams and they were parents to 5 known children. Both Guy and May Ella are buried in the CONFEDERATE CEMETERY in Kitrell, Vance County, NC.
He was the paternal grandson of Jesse Barnes & Mary Edith Jordan; and gr-grandson of Dempsey Barnes Sr. & Sarah Dew, all of Edgecombe County. He is a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, Edward Barnes (c.1595), a London merchant who settled in the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1621. This branch of the Virginia Barnes family is believed to have come to Edgecombe Co, NC ca. 1700. On his mother's side he was the maternal grandson of Col. Benjamin Sharpe and Anna Farmer of Tarboro, Edgecombe County.
In about 1850, William's father moved the family to a farm in Saratoga, Wilson County, where he died in 1854. William's mother, Mahala, continued to live there and run the farm and raise her children.
William was well educated locally and would most likely have attended UNC had not the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, as both his older brothers were graduates. Instead, the 18-year old enlisted in Company F (Wilson Light Infantry), of the NC 4th Regiment North Carolina State Troops on June 28, 1861. In late 1861, he was promoted to sergeant. He later became adjutant (first lieutenant) on March 14, 1863, and transferred to the regimental staff of Colonel Bryan Grimes. William's older brother, Jesse Sharpe Barnes (1838-1862) also enlisted with the NC 4th and served as a Captain. He was killed May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines.
At war's end, William returned to Wilson County where in 1865 the 22-year old veteran married 23-year old Madeline Maude Crenshaw. The couple set up housekeeping in California Twp, Pitt County, where William was employed as a teacher.
William and Madeline would have 4 known children (3 boys/1 girl):
* Guy V. Williams (1866-1916)
* Rowlett Elmore Barnes (1870-1932)
* Annie Barnes WORTH (1873-1960)
* Ralph Ivor Barnes (1876-1862).
By 1880, the couple had moved to the Toisnot section of Wilson County, where William continued to teach.
By 1900, the family had removed once again to E. North Street in Raleigh, where 57-year old William was employed as a bookkeeper. At a time when most men were considering retirement, William went to school and became an optometrist, and was employed as such in 1910.
William Sharpe Barnes died July 20, 1924 at age 81. In his later years, the widower resided in the same home at E. North Street, with his son Ralph as head of household. Oakwood cemetery shows his wife buried in Oakwood only as "Mrs. William Sharpe Barnes" with a DOD as April 21, 1886; however, she appears with William on the 1900 census in Raleigh at age 58. Without a photograph of her headstone, it has not been possible to confirm her date of death, but it's possible she died in 1906, not 1886.
Three of his 4 children (Rowlett, Annie and Ralph) married and remained in the Raleigh area, and are buried here in Oakwood. Rowlett's marriage was childless, but both Annie and Ralph had children. Son, Guy V. Barnes, was a printer and stationery salesman, and removed to Kittrell, Vance County around 1910. He married May Ella Williams and they were parents to 5 known children. Both Guy and May Ella are buried in the CONFEDERATE CEMETERY in Kitrell, Vance County, NC.
William Sharpe Barnes was born 1843 near or in Tarboro, Edgecombe County, NC, the 5th of 10 known surviving children (7 boys/3 girls) born to successful farmer Elias Barnes and his wife, Mahala Emma Sharpe (Sharp).
He was the paternal grandson of Jesse Barnes & Mary Edith Jordan; and gr-grandson of Dempsey Barnes Sr. & Sarah Dew, all of Edgecombe County. He is a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, Edward Barnes (c.1595), a London merchant who settled in the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1621. This branch of the Virginia Barnes family is believed to have come to Edgecombe Co, NC ca. 1700. On his mother's side he was the maternal grandson of Col. Benjamin Sharpe and Anna Farmer of Tarboro, Edgecombe County.
In about 1850, William's father moved the family to a farm in Saratoga, Wilson County, where he died in 1854. William's mother, Mahala, continued to live there and run the farm and raise her children.
William was well educated locally and would most likely have attended UNC had not the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, as both his older brothers were graduates. Instead, the 18-year old enlisted in Company F (Wilson Light Infantry), of the NC 4th Regiment North Carolina State Troops on June 28, 1861. In late 1861, he was promoted to sergeant. He later became adjutant (first lieutenant) on March 14, 1863, and transferred to the regimental staff of Colonel Bryan Grimes. William's older brother, Jesse Sharpe Barnes (1838-1862) also enlisted with the NC 4th and served as a Captain. He was killed May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines.
At war's end, William returned to Wilson County where in 1865 the 22-year old veteran married 23-year old Madeline Maude Crenshaw. The couple set up housekeeping in California Twp, Pitt County, where William was employed as a teacher.
William and Madeline would have 4 known children (3 boys/1 girl):
* Guy V. Williams (1866-1916)
* Rowlett Elmore Barnes (1870-1932)
* Annie Barnes WORTH (1873-1960)
* Ralph Ivor Barnes (1876-1862).
By 1880, the couple had moved to the Toisnot section of Wilson County, where William continued to teach.
By 1900, the family had removed once again to E. North Street in Raleigh, where 57-year old William was employed as a bookkeeper. At a time when most men were considering retirement, William went to school and became an optometrist, and was employed as such in 1910.
William Sharpe Barnes died July 20, 1924 at age 81. In his later years, the widower resided in the same home at E. North Street, with his son Ralph as head of household. Oakwood cemetery shows his wife buried in Oakwood only as "Mrs. William Sharpe Barnes" with a DOD as April 21, 1886; however, she appears with William on the 1900 census in Raleigh at age 58. Without a photograph of her headstone, it has not been possible to confirm her date of death, but it's possible she died in 1906, not 1886.
Three of his 4 children (Rowlett, Annie and Ralph) married and remained in the Raleigh area, and are buried here in Oakwood. Rowlett's marriage was childless, but both Annie and Ralph had children. Son, Guy V. Barnes, was a printer and stationery salesman, and removed to Kittrell, Vance County around 1910. He married May Ella Williams and they were parents to 5 known children. Both Guy and May Ella are buried in the CONFEDERATE CEMETERY in Kitrell, Vance County, NC.
He was the paternal grandson of Jesse Barnes & Mary Edith Jordan; and gr-grandson of Dempsey Barnes Sr. & Sarah Dew, all of Edgecombe County. He is a direct descendant of this family's patriarch, Edward Barnes (c.1595), a London merchant who settled in the Isle of Wight, VA ca. 1621. This branch of the Virginia Barnes family is believed to have come to Edgecombe Co, NC ca. 1700. On his mother's side he was the maternal grandson of Col. Benjamin Sharpe and Anna Farmer of Tarboro, Edgecombe County.
In about 1850, William's father moved the family to a farm in Saratoga, Wilson County, where he died in 1854. William's mother, Mahala, continued to live there and run the farm and raise her children.
William was well educated locally and would most likely have attended UNC had not the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, as both his older brothers were graduates. Instead, the 18-year old enlisted in Company F (Wilson Light Infantry), of the NC 4th Regiment North Carolina State Troops on June 28, 1861. In late 1861, he was promoted to sergeant. He later became adjutant (first lieutenant) on March 14, 1863, and transferred to the regimental staff of Colonel Bryan Grimes. William's older brother, Jesse Sharpe Barnes (1838-1862) also enlisted with the NC 4th and served as a Captain. He was killed May 31, 1862 at the Battle of Seven Pines.
At war's end, William returned to Wilson County where in 1865 the 22-year old veteran married 23-year old Madeline Maude Crenshaw. The couple set up housekeeping in California Twp, Pitt County, where William was employed as a teacher.
William and Madeline would have 4 known children (3 boys/1 girl):
* Guy V. Williams (1866-1916)
* Rowlett Elmore Barnes (1870-1932)
* Annie Barnes WORTH (1873-1960)
* Ralph Ivor Barnes (1876-1862).
By 1880, the couple had moved to the Toisnot section of Wilson County, where William continued to teach.
By 1900, the family had removed once again to E. North Street in Raleigh, where 57-year old William was employed as a bookkeeper. At a time when most men were considering retirement, William went to school and became an optometrist, and was employed as such in 1910.
William Sharpe Barnes died July 20, 1924 at age 81. In his later years, the widower resided in the same home at E. North Street, with his son Ralph as head of household. Oakwood cemetery shows his wife buried in Oakwood only as "Mrs. William Sharpe Barnes" with a DOD as April 21, 1886; however, she appears with William on the 1900 census in Raleigh at age 58. Without a photograph of her headstone, it has not been possible to confirm her date of death, but it's possible she died in 1906, not 1886.
Three of his 4 children (Rowlett, Annie and Ralph) married and remained in the Raleigh area, and are buried here in Oakwood. Rowlett's marriage was childless, but both Annie and Ralph had children. Son, Guy V. Barnes, was a printer and stationery salesman, and removed to Kittrell, Vance County around 1910. He married May Ella Williams and they were parents to 5 known children. Both Guy and May Ella are buried in the CONFEDERATE CEMETERY in Kitrell, Vance County, NC.
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