Sylvester Wallace Barnes (May 23, 1824 – October 24, 1862) was an American lawyer, engineer, and politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Jefferson County during the 1856 and 1857 sessions. In contemporary documents, his name was almost always abbreviated as S. W. Barnes. He died of disease due to service in the American Civil War.
S. W. Barnes was born in 1824, in the town of Turin, New York.[1] He moved to Wisconsin sometime before 1853, and settled in Watertown, in Jefferson County. In Watertown, he was deeply involved in establishing the Watertown & Madison Railroad.[2]
Barnes was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 1855, running on the Democratic Party ticket. He represented Jefferson County in the 1856 and 1857 sessions. Barnes' political and financial interests intersected in the plan to extend the Watertown & Madison Railroad to the Mississippi River. This ambitious plan was wrecked by the Panic of 1857, which led to the failure of the Watertown & Madison Railroad and Barnes' financial ruin.[2]
Following his failures in Wisconsin, Barnes returned to New York. He was at Troy, New York, at the outbreak of the American Civil War, and volunteered for service in the Union Army. He was enrolled as first lieutenant of Company H in the 30th New York Infantry Regiment. While serving with the regiment around Washington, D.C., in the early months of the war, he became severely ill. He was sent back to his family in Utica, New York, where he died on October 24, 1862.[3]
Sixty years after his death, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to upgrade him to an honorable discharge.[4]
Personal life and familyedit
Barnes was the son of Abraham A. and Lucinda (née Topping) Barnes. The Barnes were descended from Thomas Barnes, a signatory of the New Haven Colony constitution of 1644. His maternal ancestors traced their lineage back to Thomas Topping, who represented Wethersfield in the Connecticut General Court in the 1630s and was a signatory of the Hempstead Convention in 1665.[5]
S. W. Barnes married Cornelia Augusta Chevalier. They had one daughter.[5]
Referencesedit
^Barnes, Trescott C. (1910). The Barnes Family Year Book. Vol. 3. New York, The Grafton press. p. 42. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
^ abOtt, John Henry (1917). Jefferson County, Wisconsin, and its People. The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. p. 184, 267. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
Member of the Wisconsin Senatefrom the 14th district January 7, 1856 – January 4, 1858
Succeeded by
William Chappell
March 17, 2024
barnes, sylvester, wallace, barnes, 1824, october, 1862, american, lawyer, engineer, politician, member, wisconsin, senate, representing, jefferson, county, during, 1856, 1857, sessions, contemporary, documents, name, almost, always, abbreviated, died, disease. Sylvester Wallace Barnes May 23 1824 October 24 1862 was an American lawyer engineer and politician He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate representing Jefferson County during the 1856 and 1857 sessions In contemporary documents his name was almost always abbreviated as S W Barnes He died of disease due to service in the American Civil War S W BarnesMember of the Wisconsin Senate from the 14th districtIn office January 7 1856 January 4 1858Preceded byDaniel HowellSucceeded byWilliam ChappellPersonal detailsBorn 1824 05 23 May 23 1824Turin New York U S DiedOctober 24 1862 1862 10 24 aged 38 Utica New York U S Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery Utica New YorkPolitical partyDemocraticSpouseCornelia Augusta Chevalier died 1901 ChildrenCornelia Marion Ralph b 1854 died 1936 ProfessionLawyer engineerMilitary serviceAllegianceUnited StatesBranch serviceUnited States VolunteersUnion ArmyYears of service1861 1862Rank1st Lieutenant USVUnit30th Reg N Y Vol InfantryBattles warsAmerican Civil WarBiography editS W Barnes was born in 1824 in the town of Turin New York 1 He moved to Wisconsin sometime before 1853 and settled in Watertown in Jefferson County In Watertown he was deeply involved in establishing the Watertown amp Madison Railroad 2 Barnes was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 1855 running on the Democratic Party ticket He represented Jefferson County in the 1856 and 1857 sessions Barnes political and financial interests intersected in the plan to extend the Watertown amp Madison Railroad to the Mississippi River This ambitious plan was wrecked by the Panic of 1857 which led to the failure of the Watertown amp Madison Railroad and Barnes financial ruin 2 Following his failures in Wisconsin Barnes returned to New York He was at Troy New York at the outbreak of the American Civil War and volunteered for service in the Union Army He was enrolled as first lieutenant of Company H in the 30th New York Infantry Regiment While serving with the regiment around Washington D C in the early months of the war he became severely ill He was sent back to his family in Utica New York where he died on October 24 1862 3 Sixty years after his death the U S House of Representatives voted to upgrade him to an honorable discharge 4 Personal life and family editBarnes was the son of Abraham A and Lucinda nee Topping Barnes The Barnes were descended from Thomas Barnes a signatory of the New Haven Colony constitution of 1644 His maternal ancestors traced their lineage back to Thomas Topping who represented Wethersfield in the Connecticut General Court in the 1630s and was a signatory of the Hempstead Convention in 1665 5 S W Barnes married Cornelia Augusta Chevalier They had one daughter 5 References edit Barnes Trescott C 1910 The Barnes Family Year Book Vol 3 New York The Grafton press p 42 Retrieved February 13 2023 a b Ott John Henry 1917 Jefferson County Wisconsin and its People The S J Clarke Publishing Co p 184 267 Retrieved February 13 2023 Death of Ex Senator Barnes Janesville Gazette November 10 1862 p 2 Retrieved February 14 2023 via Newspapers com House of Representatives Friday February 14 1913 Congressional Record United States Congress 49 3170 1913 Retrieved February 13 2023 via United States Government Publishing Office a b New England Women The New England Magazine Vol 34 no March 1906 August 1906 America Company pp 381 382 Retrieved February 13 2023 Wisconsin SenatePreceded byDaniel Howell Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 14th districtJanuary 7 1856 January 4 1858 Succeeded byWilliam Chappell Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title S W Barnes amp oldid 1209055142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
