Death of John Edward Barnett
Palacios Beacon, Feb. 11, 1913
Mr. John Edward Barnett died at the home of his son, J. F. Barnett, in this city, Friday evening, the 7th inst., at 7:30 o’clock, from an acute attack of lagrippe, at the age of 66 years, 1 month and 17 days.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at four o’clock at the home of Mr. J. F. Barnett, conducted by Rev. J. W. Israel, pastor of the Baptist church, followed by interment at the city cemetery.
The funeral services were attended by a large company of the sympathizing friends of the family, more than the first floor rooms of the spacious residence could accommodate.
Out of town members of the family who came to attend the funeral were Mr. D.H. Barnett, of Nacogdoches, brother of the deceased; Mrs. J.A. Pickett, of Houston, sister; and L.D. Barnett, of Houston, a nephew, and Miss Norah Bennett, granddaughter of Houston. Mr. D.H. Barnett and Miss Barnett returned to their home Monday morning, but Mrs. Pickett remained for a few days visit with the Barnett families. Mr. L.D. Barnett remained over Monday, returning to Houston Tuesday morning.
Mr. Barnett’s illness was of short duration.
He was working at his trade, that of a carpenter, at Maxie, a few miles out from Wharton.
He was in good health, as stated in a letter to his son written on the Sunday preceding his death on Friday. The letter was not mailed but was found in one of his coat pockets after he returned home.
He was taken ill Sunday night or Monday, and started home expecting to return to his work, as he bought a round trip ticket at Wharton.
He missed connection with the Palacios train at Wharton Monday, and did not arrive at home until Tuesday evening.
The following Friday evening he died.
John Edward Barnett was born Dec. 20, 1846, in Montgomery county, Alabama. He was the fourth child of elder J.E. and Mary Farrior Barnett, of a family of ten children.
He was a direct descendant of a long line of Baptist ministers, the oldest of which fled with the French Hugenots, and sought refuge in the Carolinas, where they were permitted to worship God in a free country.
At the age of 12, he united with the Liberty Baptist church in Bullock county, Ala.
With the consent of his parents, he enlisted in the reorganization of the First Alabama Regiment, under Col. M.B. Locke at the age of 16, where he served until the close of the war having been honorably discharged at Greensboro, North Carolina and having participated in several battles, in one of which he was seriously wounded.
During the reconstruction days he lived in Alabama, farming, until ’71 when he came to Southern Louisiana where he again engaged in farming, losing heavily with the freshet (heavy flooding).
He left Louisiana in ’75 and came to Anderson, Grimes county, Texas, farming there also.
As was the custom of farms of the early years, the forge was one of the necessities and in it was developed the mechanical genius of the boy and it made possible the skill and ability which, as a man, he used so successfully.
The pioneer hardships and necessities developed all the abilities in a man, and especially so with Mr. Barnett, his ability made possible good tools for his farm work and the demands of his neighbors developed the shop until, after coming to Texas, he became what was then known as a blacksmith and wheelwright and had a large shop which took most of his time, so the boys Joseph and James ran the farm.
In ’77 he moved to Montgomery County, Texas where he continued farming and his shop work, also ran a gin and grist mill, and in ’88 he moved to Cameron, Milam county.
He began contracting for regular carpenter work and followed that business the rest of his life.
From Milam county he moved to Victoria county, removing to Bay City, Matagorda County, in 1902, where he resided until coming to Palacios in the summer of 1912.
The key of his life was the fact of constant, careful and regular reading of the Bible; the beautiful even-tempered spirit of his life was surely fostered and strengthened by this habit of Bible reading.
No one ever saw him in a temper, which is a wonderful thing to be said of a man who has had the varying experiences of his long, busy life.
His passion was industry; he could not be contented unless busy. He has always been identified with the Baptist church since his baptism, although on account of his hearing he has not attended regularly in later years.
His honest dealings and thoroughly upright life in every community in which he lived made for the uplift of those about him. He was one of God’s noblemen and it can surely be said of him that “his works do follow him.”
His death was from lagrippe, at the residence of his son, J.F. Barnett. His wife, children, grandchildren and one sister, Mrs. J.A. Pickett of Houston were with him.
He was married Jan. 13, 1867, to Miss Carrie Emma Threadgill at Pine Level, Ala., to which union five children were born, three boys and two girls. He is survived by his wife, two sons, James Randolph and John Franklin Barnett, both living here in Palacios, and seven grandchildren, three sisters and one brother, Mrs. J. A. Pickett, of Houston; Mrs. J. J. Threadgill, of Girard, Ala.; Mrs. M. C. Howell, of Ponchatoula, La., and Mr. D. H. Barnett, of Nacogdoches, Tex., besides a host of relatives from Virginia to the Rio Grande.
