Zed L. Barnett

ZED L. BARNETT. The Barnett family has been identified with the making of a part of Western Kansas since 1884. Zed L. Barnett is a successful grain merchant, farmer and rancher in the vicinity of Brownell, and he has lived in that section almost since infancy.

He comes of Pennsylvania ancestry. His grandfather, George Barnett, grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and in 1850 brought his family to Illinois and settled in Macon County, near Decatur, where the parents of George Barnett died. George married Barbara Musselman, who was of Pennsylvania German stock and also of the agricultural class. Their children were: Jacob, who spent his life in Macon County, Illinois; Elizabeth, who married Dan Good, and also lived in Macon County; Catherine, who died in that county the wife of Peter Eshelman; George, of Decatur, Illinois; David, who died in Macon County; Barbara, who became Mrs. George Stare, of Decatur; John M.; and Henry, who served with an Illinois regiment during the Civil war and is now living at Long Beach, California.

John M. Barnett, who brought the family, including his son Zed, into Western Kansas, was born in Pennsylvania May 9, 1842. He grew up in the country, attended the country schools, and has spent his active career largely as a farmer. Independence of judgment has always been a characteristic of members of the Barnett family, and this is illustrated in politics as in other affairs. John M. Barnett during most of his voting career has affiliated with the republican organization, but in recent years has shown his marked independence by casting his ballot for the man rather than for the party. He has been three times married. His first wife was Annie Philips, and their children were Lindsay, Otto, Albert, Grant, Harry and Lehman. Of these only Albert is still living, a resident of Hutchinson, Kansas. For his second wife John M. Barnett married Alice Coleman, who died in 1886, leaving three children: George Franklin, of Hutchinson; Zed L.; and William Roy, of Brownell. The present wife of John M. Barnett is Lena Elias.

Zed L. Barnett was born January 31, 1880, near Decatur in Macon County, Illinois, and was about four years of age when his parents came to Kansas and located a mile west of Brownell. His father took up a quarter section of school land, and that has been the home of the elder Barnett ever since. He has been quite successful as a wheat raiser there. Educated in the common schools of that county, Zed L. remained at home until reaching his majority, and then started out to farm as a renter. His chief crops in those days were wheat. Gradually he prospered, and having accumulated some capital he bought land in the vicinity of his present home. He now has a handsome estate, his farm being 1 1/2 miles west of Brownell. He owns the south half of section 20, township 16, range 22, 160 acres in section 29, township 16, range 22. He is cultivating 480 acres and, as already stated, has transferred some of his business energy to the Town of Brownell and figures quite largely as a grain dealer. He also follows his independent judgment in casting his vote in political campaigns.

In March, 1901, in Ness County Mr. Barnett married Myrtle Pearl Snodgrass, daughter of Hugh C. Snodgrass of Brownell, who married Lida Gray and is the father of Irene, who died near Brownell as Mrs. Robert Sutcliff; Cordie, wife of O. L. Sidebottom, of this locality; Euphemia, wife of W. D. May, of Brownell; George, of this region; Mrs. Barnett, born in Clark County, Indiana, February 17, 1884; and Jessie, who died unmarried.

Mr. and Mrs. Barnett's children are: Orville Wayne, Gertrude Fern, Lucile and Marion Elbert.

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