My Genealogy Hound

CAPT. MURWIN C. BARNES. The firm of Clock & Barnes was established in 1888, at St. Joseph, and since the inception of the enterprise they have enjoyed a steadily increasing business as dealers in watches, clocks, jewelry, diamonds, etc. Being thoroughly accurate and reliable in all their transactions and representations, they possess the confidence of the people of this section of Michigan, and to those desiring to purchase jewelry their establishment undoubtedly offers superior inducements.

The junior member of this firm, Capt. Barnes, is a retired steamboat captain. He was born in Beverly, Canada, in 1831, and was a child of three years when his parents brought him to Michigan. His ancestors were of Scotch-Irish origin, and the family settled in an early day in New York State, where the father of our subject, Hiram Barnes, was born. The mother was known in maidenhood as Jane Lewis. This worthy couple are now deceased.

Reared from infancy in Berrien County, Capt. Barnes recalls no other home than this. He was the recipient of common-school advantages in his youth, but his time was principally occupied in the various duties connected with rural life. At the age of twenty-two, during the days of the gold excitement, he was seized with the fever, and journeyed across the plains to California, reaching that State after a tedious and uneventful trip. His principal occupation in California was that of farming, in which he engaged successfully until 1856. He then returned to his Michigan home and began steam boating.

Having purchased three tugs, Capt. Barnes ran these in partnership with John Wallace, under the firm name of Wallace & Barnes, which connection continued sixteen years. In 1883 he closed out his steamboat business and established a drug store in partnership with E. S. Curran, continuing thus engaged for eighteen months. In 1887, in company with Warren Ballengee, of St. Joseph, he built the St. Joseph & Benton Harbor Street Railroad, Mr. Barnes being President and General Manager, and Mr. Ballengee filling the position of Secretary and Treasurer. One year later the road was sold to Mr. Holmes, of Chicago. The next move of the Captain was to enter into the jewelry business, in which he is now engaged.

With the varied enterprises of St. Joseph, Capt. Barnes is interested, either directly or indirectly, and is one of the principal stockholders in the St. Joseph Iron Works. While he is not an active partisan, yet he favors the Democratic party, and never fails to cast his ballot for its candidates. He owns a cozy and comfortably furnished house on State Street, where he makes his home. His wife, to whom he was married in 1873, was formerly Miss Liza Lightfoot, and their home is brightened by the presence of three children, Delia, Elmer and Lillie.