CHESTER W. BARNES, an enterprising
grocer of Preston, was born in Norwich, March 16, 1841, son of Avery W.
and Lucy (Sherman) Barnes. His grandfather, Avery Barnes, who was born
in Groton, married in 1804 Abigail Cook, a daughter of Elisha Cook, of
Preston. In the following year they settled on their farm. They had eleven
children, of whom six are now living. Nabby, the first-born, became the
wife of Reuben Cook, and died when ninety years of age. Eunice married
Albert Holmes, and died in 1887, at the age of eighty. Lucy is an octogenarian,
and resides in Preston City. Prudence is the wife of Hiram Browning, of
this place. Ruth Ann is the widow of Charles Eaton, and lives in Norwich.
Almeda, born in 1824, is the widow of Nehemiah Cook, and lives in Franklin,
Conn. Chester M., born June 6, 1826, owns a farm adjoining the old homestead.
Mrs. Avery Barnes, after surviving her husband three years, died December
21, 1878, in the ninety-fourth year of her age. Some time before a family
reunion took place in celebration of the eighty-ninth birthday of Avery
Barnes, when he and his wife had then been united in matrimony for sixty-six
years, when their first-born was sixty-five years old, and seven of their
children, twenty-three of their grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren
were present, the sum of whose ages, with those of their eleven children,
was seven hundred and eighty-nine years. Two interesting poems, previously
prepared for the purpose, were read on this occasion.
Avery W. Barnes in 1833 married Lucy, daughter
of Moses Sherman. She died in 1869, at the age of fifty-seven, leaving
three children. Their daughter Harriet had died at the age of eighteen.
Those now living are Lucy, Chester W., and George. Lucy is the widow of
Harley A. Bromley, and resides in the neighborhood. George has lived for
twenty years in the South. The father is now in his eighty-ninth year.
Chester W. Barnes was reared to farm life,
living with his grandparents until fifteen years old. When twenty seven
years old he married Emily Dean Le Noir, the widow of Henry Le Noir, and
a daughter of Nathan and Emily Hovey Dean, the ceremony taking place December
15, 1868. They have had six children, as follows: Harriet, who died at
the age of five years; Charles, born February 7, 1873, who assists his
father in his grocery business; Frank, who died in infancy; Eleanor Bell,
who is a graduate of the Norwich Broadway School; Philo, a youth of sixteen,
who is also in his father's store; and Minnie, a bright girl of twelve
years.
Mr. Barnes is a Mason of the thirty-second
degree, and he has taken all the degrees in the I. O. O. F. He is a Democrat,
as all his forefathers have been. He has served as Constable, was First
Selectman and Town Treasurer for one year each, and was re-elected to the
latter office, but resigned. He has been a grand juror, and was a Representative
in the State legislature in 1882, and in 1883 and 1884 was State Senator.
Mr. Barnes has been a very successful businessman. He has been in the grocery
business for thirty-one years in his own name; and he is a large dealer
in fish, including oysters and clams. He has his own fishing-smacks and
seines, and supplies all the local trade.
Biographical Review Volume
XXVI
Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens
of New London County Connecticut
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1898
pgs 346 - 347
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