County, Iowa, and although he was born in Allegany County, N. Y., December 21, 1846, he has been a well-known resident of Nevada, Iowa, since February, 1870. His parents, Orlando and Saloma (Moon) Barnes, were born in York State, and the former is still living at the age of seventy-two years, being a resident of Grant Township, Story County, Iowa. His wife died here in 1884 at the age of sixty-six years. Of a family of eight children born to them, the subject of this sketch is seventh in order of birth, and seven of the family are now living, R. J. Barnes having died while serving in the Rebellion. George M. Barnes was reared on a farm in New York until he was ten years of age, at which time he moved with his parents to Illinois and settled in Sheffield, Bureau County, where he was given the advantages of the common schools. At the age of fourteen years he was apprenticed to the harness-maker's trade at Sheffield, and continued to work at this calling until 1863, when he enlisted in Company C, Sixty-sixth Illinois, and served until the close of the war, being honorably discharged July 13, 1865. He was in all the battles in which Sherman's army participated from the 9th of May, 1864, until the final surrender. He then returned to his old home in Illinois and resumed his trade, but becoming dissatisfied with his location he came to Iowa in 1866, and until 1870 was a resident of Marengo. Since that time he has resided in Story County, and has built up an excellent business for himself in Nevada. He has a complete line of harness, saddles, etc., and is also extensively engaged in the manufacture of these articles, and finds a ready sale for them throughout the county. He has been engaged in this business for about thirty years, and as far as enterprise, push and honesty are concerned, has few superiors. He was married December 7, 1882, to Miss Josie Hefler, a native of Iowa. He has one child, Ada E. He belongs to Nevada Lodge No. 99, A. F. & A. M., and also belongs to the G. A. R., two of his brothers who served in the late war being also members. He is one of the substantial, law-abiding citizens of the place, and is looked up to and respected by his fellow-men.
Elnathan Bates, farmer and stock-raiser, Nevada, Iowa. Mr. Bates is a native of Williamson County, Ohio, where his birth occurred on the 17th of April, 1853, and was the youngest of four children born to his father's second marriage. Of his brothers and sisters, Rhoda was married to Gilbert Barber, and died in 1878. Oliver died in infancy, and Stephen is a farmer of Jewell County, Kas., and was married to Miss Katherine Alldridge, a native of Iowa. The father of these children was a native of the Empire State, and was a farmer by vocation. The mother was also a native of New York State. Both are deceased. Elnathan Bates received his education in the schools of Ohio and Iowa, and has ever been an ardent supporter of all educational institutions. He began working for himself at the early age of thirteen, and has made what he has by his own exertions. He was married to Miss Margaret Miller in Story County, Iowa, on the 27th of March, 1872, and four children are the result of this union: Ada May, Della, and Leland and Eland (twins, now ten years of age). Mrs. Bates was born in Defiance County, Ohio, on the 1st of August, 1852, and was educated in the common schools of Ohio and Iowa. Her father was a farmer by occupation, served almost three years in the late Rebellion, was wounded in the left hand, and was honorably discharged in 1865. He was present at the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. He was a native of Indiana, and died in 1876, at the age of fifty-five years. The mother was a native of Ohio, and died at the age of thirty-