BIO: Thomas BARNES, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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  THOMAS BARNES. Among the self-made men of Centre county are many 
citizens of foreign birth who have become conspicuous in business and 
financial circles for their ability, integrity and enterprise, and the 
story of one who began with empty pockets, and has made his way to 
prosperity and wide influence, is a helpful inspiring study. Thomas 
Barnes, who is now a wealthy coal operator of Philipsburg, Centre 
county, and president of the Moshannon National Bank at that place, was 
born May 13, 1843, in Lancashire, England, where his ancestors have had 
their homes for many generations.
  James Barnes, grandfather of our subject, was a farmer there, and, 
although his life was passed without exciting incident, it embodied in 
its domestic phases a beautiful romance, so similar to certain portions 
of the widely-read novel, "John Halifax, Gentleman," as to make a most 
striking coincidence. Like the hero and heroine of that work, James 
Barnes and his wife were born on the same day of the same month, but 
the grandmother a year later than the grandfather. They were married on 
their common birthday, and died on another anniversary of their birth. 
They were never separated for even the space of twenty-four hours, and 
so closely were they united by love and sympathy that one could 
scarcely suffer a pain that did not affect the other. They were 
seventy-five and seventy-four

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  441

years old, respectively, when the last illness fell upon them. When the 
final summons came the wife expired first, and as the children 
attempted to removed the corpse from its place by his side they dying 
husband motioned to them to leave it, and eighteen minutes later he, 
too, breathed his last. 
  This devoted couple left a numerous family. Their son John, our 
subject's father, who spent his life in Lancashire, followed 
agricultural pursuits. He and his wife (whose maiden name was Jennie 
Hayes), had twelve children, viz.: James (deceased), Hannah (now Mrs. 
Edward Riely), Samuel, Lawrence, John, Henry, Isabella (now Mrs. James 
Eastwood), Thomas (our subject), Alice Ann, Jane (now Mrs. George E. 
Smith), William, and Rachel (the last named being deceased). Of these, 
only three-Henry, John and Thomas - came to America, the others 
remaining in their native land.
  Thomas Barnes crossed the ocean at the age of twenty-one to test his 
fortunes in the New World. His sole inheritance was comprised in his 
sound mental and physical health and his all conquering energy. He 
located near Philipsburg, and having but a few dollars at hand he 
promptly began at the first work that he could find, which happened to 
be coal mining. This occupation he followed until 1872, when he secured 
a contract for clearing away drift, and later he and his brother John 
began operating the Cuba mine. Their next venture was with the Derby 
mines and Lancashire mines No. 1 and No. 2, and since that period the 
two brothers have carried on many profitable mining enterprises in that 
vicinity and in Cambria county. At the present time Mr. Barnes is a 
partner in the Baltic mines and others, and is recognized as a man of 
great sagacity and one of the leading operators of his locality. As is 
well known, coal mining includes many incidental details, and Mr. 
Barnes and his brother conduct stores and supply places, and in every 
way meet the demands of the business. In May, 1897, the Moshannon 
National Bank was organized at Philipsburg, Mr. Barnes being appointed 
its president.
  In 1864 Mr. Barnes married Miss Anna Ashcroft, also a native of 
Lancashire, England, and seven children were born of their union: Jane, 
Margaret, Ruth, John, Rachel, Anna and Esther. Of these, Jane married 
J. Johnson, who is now conducting our subject's store in Philipsburg, 
and they have one daughter, Ruth. Mr. Barnes is prominent in local 
affairs, is a vestryman in the Episcopal Church, takes great interest 
in school matters, and is liberal in his donations. In politics he is a 
Republican. He has been deservedly successful in his undertakings, and 
now owns a fine home on Centre street, Philipsburg, besides an elegant 
block, a hotel, and a gristmill.