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Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

Conditions Governing Access

No special access restriction applies.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Barns Family Papers, A&M 0925, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Scope and Contents

Papers of the Barns family of northwestern West Virginia.

The Civil War diaries of Thomas Rufus Barns record his experiences while serving with Company K, Tenth Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry (1863-1864). Thomas Barns enlisted at Harrisville, Ritchie County, on April 22, 1862. He died of wounds received at Winchester on September 19, 1864. (in folder 1)

The Civil War records of Uz Barns, who also served with Company K, Tenth Regiment, West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, include his discharge and pension papers (1865-1891). Thomas Barns enlisted at Harrisville, Ritchie County, on April 22, 1862. He was discharged on May 2, 1865, from duty near Richmond, Virginia. A copy of the newspaper "The Richmond Times" dated April 26, 1865 can be found in this collection, which Uz Barns apparently acquired when stationed near Richmond at the end of the War. President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address can be found on its front page. (The diary of Uz Barns for 1862-1865 can be found in A&M 974.) (in folder 2)

Miscellaneous Civil War material in the collection include: three pieces of Confederate currency; three pieces of Union currency (these are "fractional" currency pieces, also known as "postage" currency); two handbills of illustrated sheets for the Union songs "Sheridan! Cavalry Sheridan!" (1864) and "The Girl I Left Behind Me" (undated); newspaper clippings of the lyrics to the Union songs "We'll Follow The Flag" and "The Soldier's Dying Farewell" (both undated); four leaves of manuscripts of lyrics to the Union songs "Gay And Happy" and "Ellsworth's Avengers". (in folder 3)

Barns family financial records (1816-1869) include tax and other financial records. (in folder 4)

Barns family land records (10 items, 1837-1899) include deeds and plat related to land in Marion, "Monongahela" (Monongalia), and Ritchie Counties pertaining to John S. Barns, Uz Barns, Francis H. Pierpont, Jr., and Mark Stratton. (in folder 5)

Miscellaneous Barns Family records (1853-1896) include: an 1853 memo book; clippings of two poems regarding the death of U.S. President James A. Garfield (1881); diploma and teaching certificates for Bernice Hodges of Grantsville, Calhoun County (1890-1894); a program for an art exhibit at the Ritchie County Court House, Harrisville (1895); and an envelope with "letterhead" regarding a cloth and apparel store in "Barnsville", West Virginia owned by John S. Barns, J.F. Barns, J.R. Fleming, and E. Hamilton. (in folder 6)

There is an empty, nineteenth century portfolio, and an empty wallet. (in folder 7)

Addendum of 3 March 2008: Letter authored by Union soldier Sergeant Thomas Rufus Barns of Company K, 10th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry, to his mother Mary Barns of Harrisville, Ritchie County, West Virginia. He writes from Winchester, Virginia on 20 February 1863 regarding a soldier getting drummed out of camp for "worthlessness and disloyalty". He also describes a food ration made by soldiers in his camp from "refuse" vegetables made into squares of ten to twelve inches. Also includes original envelope without stamp.

Related Material

925, 958, 970

Separated Material

One land deed for Uz Barns of Monongalia County, Virginia signed by President James Monroe in 1818, separated to the Rare Signature Collection, A&M 435.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Barnes family
• Barns, Thomas Rufus.
• Barns, Uz
• Marion County (W. Va.)
• Monongalia County (W. Va.)
• Pierpont, Francis H., Jr.
• Ritchie County (W. Va.)