Bio Sketch by B. Bradford (updated 1-29-2024)

William H. Barnes was the son of Thomas Barnes, b. 1817, TN - d. 26 Mar 1901 Cocke Co., TN and Frances "Fannie" Caldwell, b. Abt 1821, Haywood Co., NC - d. 1900 Cocke Co., TN.

Occupation: Farmer and Deputy Sheriff.

Death Record: State of Tenn Death Cert #41510, Cocke Co. stated b. Nov. 15, 1842 and died at "age 101" on January 2, 1944; cause of death "Arteria sclerosis and pulmonary emphysema."

William sired 29 known children with 4 women as outlined below .

NOTE: His middle initial sometimes appeared as "H" in records. There are many birth years claimed for William and his death record stated he was born in 1842. However, when you review the 1850 census of his parents' household, he was not noted and in the 1860 census, he was age 10 so there is a good chance he was born in 1850. In the 1900 census, he stated he was born in 1837. I could not find any Civil War record for him to support the possibility he was born before 1848.

William, 2nd wife Harriett and their children were in Cocke Co., TN for the 1900 census living one door down from his ex-wife, Stacy and children. The family moved to Haywood County, NC in the 1910 census living in Cataloochee. William is not buried at the Barnes Valley Cemetery where his first wife Stacy and their children are buried. William and Harriet lived with their son, Harrison and are buried nearby at the Barnes Family Cemetery.

He had the following relationships and sired children:

Relationship #1: Elizabeth "Betty" Sutton , b. April 30, 1849, Haywood Co., NC – d. Jan. 23, 1929, Haywood Co., NC; buried Hopkins Cemetery, Haywood Co., NC

Marriage: No record found? child: Ruth Jane Barnes

Relationship 2#: Stacy Salinda Brown , b. August 1855, Fines Creek, Haywood Co., NC - d. 28 March 1929 (Age 73 years) Cocke Co., TN; d/o Robert Brown and Narcissus Elizabeth Green

Marriage: abt. 1870 in Cocke Co. TN –no marriage record found but they divorced February 17, 1896 in Cocke Co., TN. They had 13 children together.

Relationship #3: Theodocia Darthena Naillon , b. July 31, 1863 Cocke Co., Tennessee – d. October 25, 1905, Elsinore, Sevier Co., UT; d/o Elijah Washington Naillon and Harriett Brown/Moore.

No Marriage record found; they had 5 children together.

Relationship #4: Married Harriet Elizabeth "Lissa" Moore/Woody married on September 12, 1896, in Haywood Co., NC; She was b. January 22, 1877, in Grassy Fork, Cocke Co., Tennessee – d. April 10, 1938, Cocke Co., TN; d/o Greenberry Woody and 2nd wife, Rosia Moore of Grassy Fork Cocke Co., TN. They had 10 children together.