Franklin County, Alabama - Biographies - Dr. Thomas Benton Barnes

Dr. Thomas Benton Barnes (Franklin County horse and buggy doctor) was born Jan. 31, 1849, on Bull Mt. Creek near Shottsville, Alabama. He was the son of farmers Miles Reeves and Margaret Lucretia (Ford) Barnes. Miles and Margaret came to Alabama by ox wagon traveling eight weeks from North Carolina in 1845.

Dr. Barnes’ first medical pratice was in Burleson, Alabama. The Franklin County News on Nov. 17, 1882, stated: (They had received a call on Saturday last from Dr. T. B. Barnes of Burleson. The Doctor is a very pleasant and affable gentleman. He says the health of his community is very good at the present, but has been afflicted considerably by the fever which has proven so fatal to the people of our county but, out of a great many cases he only lost two.)

Dr. Barnes later on had a medical pratice in the Rockwood, Ala. for a number of years. (Franklin Times - Dec. 11, 1909) states: "Dr. Barnes Resigns" (Dr. T. B. Barnes, one of the oldest and most popular and skilled physicians in the county, who has been the company physician at Rockwood for many years, in fact Dr. Barnes has been the physician practically ever since the quarries were opened up some twenty years ago, last week tendered his resignation. Dr. W. A. Gresham of this city has been chosen and elected the position of company physician.)

Dr. Barnes first attended Memphis Medical College in Tennessee,
(Licensed 1873).
In 1886, Dr. Barnes attended a college in Louisville, Kentucky:

Click here to view a copy of Dr. Barnes' original license

(Below is a retyped copy of Dr. Barnes' Surgery License)

Dr. Thomas Benton Barnes, (session 1886)

Hospital College of MEDICINE
Medical Department of Central University
Chestnut Street, Between Floyd And Preston, Louisville, Kentucky

Mr. T. B. Barnes of Ala. Has Attended A Full Practical Course Of Instruction In (Operative Surgery)
signed : W. H. Bolling (President)

He first married Susan Rachel Jolliff, on June 20, 1872, of whom he first met while away in medical school. Susan was a school teacher born, March 19, 1854, in Illinois. Dr. Barnes was married to Susan thirty-four years before her death, August 9, 1906, in Rockwood, AL.

Dr. Barnes and Susan had six children: four died at an early age, Elvira Susan Barnes, (b. April 11, 1873 / d. June 14, 1879), Minnie Lucretia Barnes, (b. Feb. 18, 1875 / d. April 13, 1875), Margaret L. Barnes, (b. March 20, 1876 / d. June 13, 1879), and Nellie Vilantia Barnes, (b. Feb. 15, 1878 / d. July 26, 1879).

Daughter, Enid Benton (Hamilton) Barnes born, April 13, 1887, married Archie Clifton Hamilton of Franklin County. Enid attended college and became an artist, she died at twenty seven years old. They had one son Miles Reeves Barnes a school teacher in his earlier years in Alabama, born Jan. 7, 1893, named after his grandfather. Miles was later field clerk for the water department in Columbus, Ohio, until his death, Sept. 15,1966.
Enid, Dr. Barnes’ daughter was the mother of Susan Helen (Hamilton) Whitlock of Russellville. (Dr. Barnes was the great grandfather of James Warren Whitlock, a native of Russellville.)

Dr. Barnes also had a grandson named Miles Reeves Barnes Jr. born March 2, 1924. Miles Jr. was seriously wounded in the South Pacific during World War II.

Dr. Barnes married Nancy (Bettie) Elisabeth McKinney on Dec. 5, 1906, in Russellville after the death of his first wife Susan. Second wife, Nancy was born in Isbell (earlier known as community of Darlington). She was the daughter of blacksmith, Philip Lynch and Sarah Pairlee (Foster) McKinney. By this marriage he only had one daughter Parlee Gertrude (Barnes) Duncan, born July 22, 1909, in Rockwood. Daughter Parlee Gertrude Duncan died, Feb. 8, 1997, at eighty seven years old in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She lived the better part of her life in Spruce Pine. Parlee Gertrude Barnes married Jesse Wesley Duncan a grandson of John Wesley Duncan of Belgreen a civil war veteran. (John was in Company E Ala. 4th Cavalry.) (John was an uncle of Dr. Luther Noble Duncan, President of Auburn University)

Dr. Barnes had a grand-daughter Betty Jane Duncan who married Mansell Odis Love, the son of Rev. William Isaac Love (a Baptist Minister) of Spruce Pine. Bessie Nell Duncan another grand-daughter married Raymond Hugh Wells of Isbell who later retired from the air force.

Dr. Barnes was Post Master of Rockwood on March 22, 1906, for a short period of time. He also, homesteaded acres of land in Rock Wood and Spruce Pine.

Dr. Barnes had two favorite horses he used to ride on his medical practice routes, named Dixie and Mollie. (When Dr. Barnes and Nancy his young wife were first married, Mollie his horse was jealous and threw Nancy for a loop. This didn’t go over very good.)

About 1910, Dr. Barnes set up practice in Spruce Pine, just east of the school house near the rail road tracks. He also opened up a general store just east of the old train depot in Spruce Pine near his father-in-law, Philip Lynch McKinney’s new blacksmith location. His wife Nancy’s sister Lula Mae McKinney operated the store for a period of time before she married a Spruce Pine merchant by the name of Norman Alexander Smith. (Norman operated a general store, saw mill, and cotton gin in Spruce Pine)

Dr. Barnes’ fee for delivering a baby in 1909, according to his medical account book was Ten Dollars or barter in whatever .

Dr. Barnes had two grandsons, Arthur Thomas and Benton Hyme Duncan on the "Phil Campbell, Alabama State Championship Basketball Team of 1947". Benton also played basketball while at Auburn College later on.

Dr. Barnes at his death had two sisters and three brothers still living: Serena Adaline (Barnes) Akers, Nancy Angaline (Barnes) Robinson and three brothers: Zimriah Franklin Barnes, Morgan Cleveland Barnes (school teacher and civil war vet) and Leroy Lafayette Barnes. (Morgan Cleveland Barnes’ daughter Ollie Barnes was the wife of Dr. Zadoc L. Weatherford of Red Bay.)
Dr. Barnes was a member of the Masonic lodge and a honorary member of the Golden Cross. Thomas and his wife Nancy (known as Bettie) were members of the Spruce Pine Methodist Church. He died May 19, 1917, from cerebral hemorrhage at his home in Spruce Pine. He is buried at the Spruce Pine Cemetery.

A couple sentences in his obitary stated Dr. Barnes was public spirited as well as progressive. He was ever ready to contribute his hard earned means to causes that would help to make his community better and further the cause of Christianity.

Dr. Barnes’ obituary published in The Franklin County Times was written by three prominent Spruce Pine residents: H. G. Rauschenberg, W. W. Blackledge and J. F. Streetman.

Compiled by grandson, Jerry and wife Janie Duncan.)