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Below is a family biography included in The History of Hickory County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William S. Barnett is a native of Benton County, Mo., where he was born, January 27, 1853, but is now connected with Heath, Noland & Co., merchants, of Cross Timbers, Hickory County, Mo., where he has been a resident since twenty-two years of age. He received his education in Benton County, and, after farming one year, came to Hickory County, as above stated, and bought an interest in the steam mills at Cross Timbers, which he continued to operate two years; then sold out and bought his father’s old homestead in Benton County. This farm he sold two years later, and purchased property near Cross Timbers; but, after farming here three years, sold out to Heath, Noland & Co., and at that date became a member of their mercantile firm, and also owns an interest in their mill and real estate. He is now occupied in superintending the mill at Cross Timbers. When starting out in life for himself, it was without means, but he put his shoulder to the wheel, and has labored faithfully and intelligently, and is now in a fair way to become one of the wealthy citizens of the county. On the 14th of February, 1879, he wedded Miss Minnie Ida Rubey, daughter of Dr. A. Rubey, of Cross Timbers. She was born in Iowa, in 1858, and died April 5, 1889, leaving, besides her husband, the following children to mourn her loss: Lester, Lemuel R., Ernest O., Zula and Ada, the latter dying when an infant. Mr. Barnett is the third of eight children born to William H. and Letha (Jenkins) Barnett. The former was born in Kentucky, in 1816, and came to Missouri during the early settlement of Benton County, and was there engaged in farming and stock trading, but lost heavily during the war. He was killed in Benton County, Mo., by a runaway team, in 1879. He served in the Mexican War, but was exempt from service in the Rebellion. He was a Democrat politically, and he and wife were members of the Christian Church. The latter was brought by her parents (from Indiana, it is supposed) to Missouri when a child, and spent the remainder of her life in Benton County, dying at the age of forty-two years.

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This family biography is one of 53 biographies included in The History of Hickory County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Hickory County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Hickory County, Missouri family biographies here: Hickory County, Missouri

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