Ned and Louisa Gay Barnes and their daughters Mattie Radcliffe Barnes Hines (1895-1922) and Alice Ida Barnes Bryant (1897-1969).

In the 1870 census of Wilson, Wilson County: farm laborer Willis Barnes, 30; wife Cherry, 25; and children Rachael, 7, West, 5, Jesse, 2, and Ned, 5 months.

In the 1880 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Willis Barnes, 42; wife Cherey, 20; stepdaughter Rachel Battle, 17; children Wesley, 15, Jesse, 13, Ned, 11, Eddie, 7, Mary Barnes, niece Ellen Battle, 2; and son Willey Barnes, 1.

On 1 April 1889, Jesse Barnes, 21, and Mary Mag Mercer, 19, were issued a marriage license in Wilson County. Harney Chatman, Baptist minister, performed the ceremony on 3 April 1889 in Wilson Town. Witnesses were Westley Barnes and Ned Barnes, Jesse’s brothers.

On 27 October 1891, J.T. Dean applied for a marriage license for Edward [Ned] Barnes, 22, of Wilson, son of Willis and Cherry Barnes, and Louisa Gay, daughter of Samuel and Alice Gay. A.M.E. Zion minister J.W. Levy officiated over the ceremony, which took place 29 October 1891 at Samuel Gay’s. Witnesses were S.H. Vick, Spencer Barnes, and Thomas Davis.

In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Ned Barnes, 30; wife Loisa, 27; and children Mattie R., 5, Alice I., 3, and Ned, 0. Ned was employed as a coachman for white manufacturer Roscoe Briggs, and the family lived on premises.

In 1903, Ned Barnes was a crucial eyewitness to a sensational murder involving prominent white Raleigh citizens.

In the 1910 census of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina: at 707 West Street, Ned Bonds Sr., 37; wife Louise, 36; and children Mattie, 15, Ida, 12, Ned Jr., 9, Howard, 7, and Blonnie L., 2. Ned worked as “horseler” at an animal hospital. Louise reported 5 of 6 children living.

Ned Barnes died 1 December 1912, aged about 42, of acute uremia, at 707 South Saunders, Raleigh, Wake County. Per his death certificate, he was born in Wilson County to Willis Barnes and an unknown mother; was married; and worked as a porter in a club. Informant was Mattie Barnes. Ned was buried 2 December in Wilson.

Ned Barnes Jr. (1899-1931). Ned married Lelia Newton, daughter of Thomas and Carrie Newton, on 14 July 1920 in Wilson.

Benson N. Barnes (1921-2004), son of Ned Jr. and Lelia Newton Barnes. (Alice Barnes Bryant was his father’s sister.)

Ned Radcliff Barnes (1924-2002), son of Ned Jr. and Lelia Newton Barnes. (Louisa Barnes was, in fact, his grandmother.)

Photographs courtesy of Katie Chestnut Barnes (many thanks!); newspaper clippings from Wilson Daily Times.