Charles Howard Barnaby
Charles Howard Barnaby born December 21, 1870 Bourbon, Marshall county, Indiana,
Death Feb 1945 Greencastle, Indiana. He was a son of Howard Barnaby and Rachel Votaw
C. H. Barnaby, Summer COttager, Dies Saturday
C. H. Barnaby, will known East Side summer cottager for many years,
died Saturday afternoon at his home in Greencastle, Ind., according to
a telegram received by The Citizen, from his son, C. H. Barnaby Jr.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon. No further particulars
were given.
Mr. Barnaby was a prominent busniss man in Greencastle and had been
active i the city's civi affairs for many years. - - Feb. 28 1945 - Citizen
married October 30, 1895 Bess Robbins
They had:
Dorothea Barnaby born c. 1897
Howard Barnaby born c. 1900
Charles Howard Barnaby Birth 17 AUG 1906 Indiana Death MAY 1979 Greencastle, Putnam,
Indiana married Cora Catharine Failey Birth 19 AUG 1908 Illinois Death 6 FEB 1963 Houston,
Harris, Texas daughter of
Malby Rollin 'Mal' Failey and Laura Elizabeth Cox
The record of Charles H. Barnaby is that of an enterprising gentleman who worthily upholds an
honored family name and whose life has been very intimately associated with the material
prosperity of Putnam county during the most progressive period of its history.
He has always be found on the right side of questions looking to development of his community
in any way, and while he has been prominent in the industrial affairs of the county, he has at the
same time won an enviable reputation for honesty and wholesome living. He is widely known as
a lumber dealer - one of the largest, in fact, in this locality, maintaining at Greencastle an extensive
yard and his office is always a busy place.
Mr. Barnaby was born in Bourbon, Marshall county, Indiana, December 21, 1870.
His father, long a well known and influential man of this county, was Howard Barnaby, a native of
Salem, Ohio, who came to Indiana in the early sixties,locating in Bourbon.
He engaged in the lumber and sawmill business, having been associated with a company owning
several mills, and in the late seventies, owing to the scarcity of timber, this company located one
of its mills in Owen county, and in the spring of 1882 Mr. Barnaby moved his family to Greencastle
that they might be close to him. In 1883 he moved the mill from Owen to Putnam county and he
continued to operate the same here until his death in July 1887, at the age of fifty-five years
having been born in 1832.
He was a successful business man and honorable in his dealings, provided his family with all the
comforts of a good home and leaving them a competency.
After his death, Charles H. and Elmer E. Barnaby, his sons, took up the milling business.
In the spring of 1898, Charles H. purchased the other's interest and carried on the work in a very
successful manner, having mastered all the details of the lumber and milling business under his
father, who was during his career here one of the best known men in thisline in Putnam and
adjoining counties.
The mother of Charles H. Barnaby was known in her maidenhood as Rachel Votaw, born and reared
near Salem, Ohio, the Votaw family having been prominent there for many years. Nine children
were born to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Barnaby, named as follows: Dr. Emma is living at Greencastle;
Elmer E. is engaged in the lumber business at Charleston, Missouri; Lorena died in 1888; Cora is
the wife of g. W. DeLanoy, of New York City; Lonie married E. Parsons and is living in Philadelphia;
Charles H. of this review; Mary married W. F. VanLoan, of Dayton, Ohio; Darwin S. lives in Greencastle.
The first child born to these parents died in infancy. The mother passed to her rest in 1897, at the
age of fifty-eight years, having been born in 1839. The Barnaby family goes back to English ancestry
on the paternal side and to French ancestry f the maternal side. Stephen Barnaby, grandfather of
Charles H. Barnaby, was a native of Pennsylvania who settled in Salem, Ohio, where he followed his
trade of wagon making.
Charles H. Barnaby was eleven years old when his parents brought him from Marshall county, Indiana
to Greencastle. He was educated in the public schools at Bourbon and Greencastle and he began
his commercial career when only sixteen years of age on account of his father's death.
In July 1887, he formed a partnership with his brother, as already indicated, and he has continued to
deal in lumber ever since. The plant was destroyed by fire ten years ago, but was replaced, better
and more extensive than ever, the entire plant now covering about twenty-five acres, and is known
as one of the largest manufactures of hardwood lumber in this part of the state; the plant also turns
out high grade veneer work, operating a band sawmill which saws from fifteen thousand to twenty
thousand feet of lumber daily. To supply this large quantity of lags are drawn from a radius of fifty
miles of Greencastle. Lumber is marketed in Germany and as far west as San Francisco; a large export
trade is carried on in both Germany and England.
Mr. Barnaby was for three years president of the Indiana Hardwood Lumberman's Association, during
which the association thrived and accomplished many important things. He is a member of the
National Hardwood Lumber Association, being a member of the executive committee and is a member
of the executive committee of the National Wholesale Lumber Dealer's Association, the National
Veneer and Panel Association, the Indiana Retail Lumber Association, and he takes a very
active part in all accusation work and is prominent in lumber circles throughout the United States.
The domestic chapter in Mr. Barnaby's life began on October 30, 1895 when he married Bess Robbins,
a lady of culture and refinement of Louisville, Kentucky, the representative of an excellent old
Southern family. She was born, reared and educated n that city. Three interesting children have
graced this union, namely: Dorothea, aged twelve; Howard, aged nine and Charles H. Jr. aged three.
Mrs. Barnaby is a member of the Episcopal church. Fraternally Mr. Barnaby is a Mason and a member of
the Knights of Phythias.
He is a Republican in politics, but he does not fine time to take a very active part; however, he is
deeply interested in whatever tends to the general uplift of his community. Personally he is genial,
jolly, a good mixer, gentlemanly and straight forward in all his dealings with his fellow men. He occupies
confidence and esteem of all who knew him. His record demonstrates that where there is a will there
is a way and that obstacle to success may be overcome by courage and self-reliance. His career,
though strenuous, has bee fraught with good to his fellow men, and his example is cordially
commended to the youth of the land whose life works are yet matters for the future to determine.
Mr. and Mrs. Barnaby have so attractive and modern home which is frequently the gathering place for
many warm friends of the family who never fail to find here genuine hospitality and good cheer.
Weik's history of Putnam County, Indiana Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1910, pg. 277-9