Col. James Elder Barnett

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Husband Col. James Elder Barnett ^{1 2}

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           Born:  - Elders Ridge, Young Twp, Indiana Co, PA
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         Father: Rev. John Morrison Barnett (1826-      ) 3 4 5
         Mother: Martha Robinson Elder (      -      ) 3 4 5

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Wife

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Col. James Elder Barnett

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He attended Elder's Ridge Academy, later taking the degree of Master of Arts at Washington and Jefferson College and the Bachelor of Laws degree at the Law School of Columbia University, New York City. In 1890 he was admitted to the bar of Washington County and in 1899 to that of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Since that period he carried forward his professional work in a most helpful and constructive way. Late in life, though a resident of Washington, he maintained offices in the Oliver Building, Pittsburgh, and carried forward his legal work.
Not content with professional achievement alone, Colonel Barnett became active in public life and in military affairs at an early stage of his career. Serving as deputy prothonotary in Washington County and as clerk to the county commissioners, he was appointed in 1895 to be deputy secretary of the Commonwealth under Governor Frank Reeder, holding that position until his resignation in 1897. Two years later, in 1899, he was elected treasurer of the State of Pennsylvania.
He began his military career in 1884 by enlisting in Company H, 10th Regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania, and in 1897 was made lieutenant-colonel. In 1898, at the time of the Spanish-American War, he volunteered with his regiment for service and obtained an assignment for himself and the regiment to duty in the Philippines. He and his men participated in the service rendered at the time of the Philippine Insurrection, being present at the attacks on Manila, Chinese Hospital, La Loma Church, Caloocan, San Francisco, Del Monte, Tuliahan River, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Giuguinto and Malolos, and engaging in much of the dangerous fighting in that area. In May, 1899, Colonel Barnett was placed in command of the district of Cavite, including the town and peninsula of Cavite, Luzon Island, and two battalions of California heavy artillery acting as infantry, one battery of Wyoming Light Artillery with four guns, one troop of Nevada Cavalry, and the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment. When he returned from the islands, he commanded the transport "Senator." In 1900 he was promoted to the rank of full colonel of the reorganized 10th Regiment by unanimous election. In 1905 he was reelected to that office, but he resigned from it in 1907. Beginning in 1924 he was chief of the Third Procurement District of the Chemical Warfare Service of the Army, consisting of the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.

1 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 73.

2 Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, A.M, Annals of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Vol. IV (New York, NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1939), Pg 527.

3 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 503.

4 William Henry Egle, M.D., M.A., Pennsylvania Genealogies; Chiefly Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Publishing Co., 1896), Pg 73, 211.

5 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: John M. Gresham & Co., 1890.), Pg 421.