“Uncle” Wade Barnes, one of Wilson county’s oldest colored residents, paid us a visit today. He is now in his 72d year and was born in Wilson county, where he has spent most of his life. He is in good health and able to work on his farm every day. He says he can well remember when Wilson did not have a court house or jail. Uncle Wade also remembers the civil war. He was then owned by Mr. Larry Farmer and went with him to war and helped thrown up breast works for the soldiers to fight behind.

Wilson Times, 2 July 1917.

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In the 1870 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Silas Barnes, 49, wife Rosa, 45, and children Feribee, 20, and Wade, 23. [Note, then, that Wade would have been a teenager during the Civil War.]

In the 1880 census of Gardners township, Wilson County:Wade Barnes, 33, wife Adeline, 25, and children John, 6, Willis, 3, and Varina, 2, plus grandmother Dury Simms, 60.

On 20 August 1892, Wade Barnes, 45, son of Silas and Rose Barnes, married Julia Thompson, 26, daughter of Ben and Fereby Artis, all of Gardners township.

In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County:Wade Barnes, 53, wife Julia Ann, 36, and children Betsey, 16, Martha, 15, and Ned Barnes, 9.

In the 1910 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Farmers Mill Pond Road, Wade Barnes, 64, wife Julie A., 47, son Ned, 19, daughter Betsey, 23, and grandson Frank, 14 months.

In the 1920 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: on Washville Road, Waid Barnes, 75, and wife Julia, 56, with son Ned Barnes and family next door.

In the 1930 census of Toisnot township, Wilson County: Wade Barnes, 83, wife Juliann, 65, grandson Frank, 21, lodger Alevia Batts, 39, and sister-in-law Mary Westray, 50.