James I Barnes family  

James I. Barnes is listed as a former mayor of Logansport - as follows: James I. Barnes (R) – 1918–1921

Logansport Pharos-Tribune MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1924

FORM NEW COMPANY

James I Barnes, former city mayor, who constructed sixty residences at South Bend in 1923, has organized a company to be known as James I. Barnes, Inc.

He will have associated with him Raymond H. Stahl and William E. Snyder, both of this city.

Headquarters for the company are at South Bend. General contracting, lumber, building supplier and real estate will be the line of business conducted.

Tangible assets of the common are listed as $100,000 and is intangible $25,000. There are to be 1250 shares of stock having no parvvalue.

James I. Barnes stricken


Death Comes Suddenly Following Heart Attack

One of Logansport's Most Prominent Citizens and Nationally Known Contractor and Builder Dies at Age of 84 Years at St. Joseph Hospital.

Death came suddenly Wednesday morning to James I. Barnes, former mayor of Logansport, nationally known building contractor and constructionist and philanthropist.

One of Logansport's most prominent citizens for more than half a century, Mr. Barnes has been in failing health for the past several years. He entered St. Joseph hospital Tuesday afternoon for a periodic checkup and rest. At 4:30 o'clock this morning he awakened, complaining of pains in his chest. He passed away at 5 a.m.

A leader in civic, industrial and political affairs since he was a young man Mr Barnes rose to become one of the most prominent building contractors in the nation. As a monument to his efforts his firms, through the years erected many of the imposing public, state and federal government buildings in more than a score of states of the union.

hospitals, libraries, churches, schools, state and federal buildings, army and air force centers, factories, medical centers and many other structures were built by his firm. For many years he was active in local and state politics. A lifelong Republican, he served as mayor of Logansport in 1918, 1919, 1920,.and 1921. He was chairman of the Cass County Republican committee almost continuously from 1914 to 1932, and was a delegate to the Republican national convention in Chicago in 1920.

A man of rugged physique and character. Mr. Barnes possessed the attributes of the builder that have made the nation great and strong. A fiery competitor in business and politics, he loved a scrap at any odds. His philanthropies ,were many but he was always unassuming in accepting credit for these contributions.

He gave of money and real estate to many local organizations, even donating the former Barnes residence on Eel River avenue to the Young Men's Christian Association as a YMCA. When the quarters were vacated for the present YMCA home at Ninth and Broadway, Mr. Barnes gave the former property to the Neal Home.

He retired from practically all activities ten years ago, and has since devoted a great deal of his time to travel to the four corners of the earth. He journeyed extensively in Europe, South America, Asia and Alaska and only this year planned to visit Australia and attend the current Olympic games, but failing health forced him to cancel these plans.

for the past ten years he has resided with his son-in-law and daughter Mr. and Mrs. William Studebaker at the residence on R. R. 4 spending many of the winter months in California and Florida.

The body was removed to the Kroeger funeral home where friends are invited to call after 4 p.m. Thursday. final rites are pending. the family requests that flowers be omitted, and that any contributions of expression made to the heart fund or cancer Fund.

Born in Logansport

James I Barnes was born January 5, 1872 the son of John E. and Elizabeth Jane Bates Barnes at the old Barnes residence located at 309 Wilkerson street. seven years later, the family moved to 600 Front Street where it resided for many years before moving to 114 Eel River avenue.

He was one of six children all of whom are now deceased. They were: Mrs. Clara A. funk, Charles H. Barnes, W. "curry" Barnes, Benjamin F. Barnes, George Barnes and Bertie Barnes.

Mr. Barnes was educated in the Logansport public schools and while still in his teens went to work for his father who was in the general construction business. one of the young Barnes' first jobs was that of a laborer in the brick yard operated by his father, north of Mount hope cemetery.

Several years later he became a partner in the business and when the elder Barnes retired, the son assumed full charge of the construction business.

He was united in marriage August 31, 1899 to Emily Engelbrecht of Logansport and to this union eight daughters were born, seven of whom survive. They are Mrs. F. G. Drompp , Mrs. W. T. Studebaker, Mrs. James Medland, Mrs. Betty Meuhlhausen, Mrs. Forrest Kniesly, all of Logansport, and Mrs. Franklin Hillis of Indianapolis, and Mrs. Floyd Sparling of Greeneboro, North Carolina. A daughter Elizabeth, died in infancy. there are twenty grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Mr. Barnes was a member of the Masonic lodge. Murat Temple of the mystic Shrine, Scottish rite, and the Knights of Phthias.

Erected Many local Buildings

Among the better known Logansport buildings erected by Mr. Barnes were; the Haney apartments at eighth and Broadway; ' the Western Motor Works, now the site of Logan Machine, Inc.; Routh Packing company; St. Luke's Lutheran church; Ninth Street Christian church; First church of Christ scientists; Stocker building on Broadway; Maiben's Laundry; Elks lodge home; Odd fellows building; Aldine apartment building and the high school at Royal Center. More than 25 miles of Cass county roads were also constructed by him.

Practically all of the original major construction at the Culver Military Academy was also accomplished by the Barnes firm and the company is now engaged in new construction at the Culver Military Academy. These academy buildings erected include the administration building; mess hall; Memorial Library; recreation building; Natatorion; riding hall and stable; barracks building; naval school building; and power plant and service building.

In 1937 the company was incorporated headed by his seven daughters and Frederick G. Drompp, his son-in-law as general manager. since the new company was formed it has engaged in more than $200,000,000 worth of construction in twenty-five states of the union. main offices of the company are established in Logansport.

Branch offices were established in Springfield and Dayton, Ohio, with R. H. Stahl, as manager; Logansport with W. C. Morris, manager; Santa Monica, Cal., with S. O. Sprager manager; Redwood city, California with J. B. Allen, manager; Seattle, Washington with S. J. Kolar, manager.

Major construction projects in the nation include:

Major construction accomplishments

Mercy hospital at Springfield, O.; Tuberc ulosis and receiving hospital, Ohio State medical center, Columbus, O; Veterans hospital at Fresno, cal.; St. Vincent College of nursing at Los Angles; Medical and Surgical building at Logansport State hospital; women's ward building at Logansport State hospital; engineering building at university of California at Berkley, cal.; Business Administration and Economics building at University of California, Los Angles; Los Angles county Law library building; Civic Center, Los Angles; state hospital at Portersville, California; Air Service command building Wright-Patterson Air force Base, Dayton, O.; Barracks, Mess and Administration building Lockbourne, Ohio Air force Base; Harrison Elementary school at Hamilton, O.; State School for Blind at Columbus, O.; Office building of R-B-M Manufacturing company, Logansport; Columbia Grade School of Logansport; farmers state bank building at lapaz; St. Bernard church at Wabash; shipfitters and boilermaker shop at San francisco naval yards; transit shed 9 and 10 peir A Long beach, California; Delco Products Factory at Dayton, o.; and the sunshine biscuit company building, also at Dayton.

Mr. Barnes also became interested in the hotel business when he acquired the Barnett hotel, which had been erected at the northeast corner of Market and Second streets in 1885.

It was not long afterward, in 1925, that he and his daughters formed a corporation and the Barnes hotel was built at the northeast corner of Third and Broadway.

In 1935 he and his daughters bought the France hotel in Paris, Ill., and later they acquired the Dearborn hotel, the Puritan hotel, and the Spink hotel, all at Indianapolis.

When Mr. Barnes retired he sold his interest in the Indianapolis and Paris hotels to Franklin Hillis. his son-in-law. All of those hotels within the last few years have been sold with the exception of the former Spink, now the Barnes and the Dearborn in Indianapolis, which is still managed by Hillis. The family also continues own the Barnes and Barnett hotels here.