Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-16
The First West Va. Legislature.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Sketches Personal. Political and Hi,
ographical.


John s. Barns, one of the members from
Marion, was sborn and reared in the county
be ppR represents, the place of his nativity
being near his present home, but a short
distance from Fairmont. Mr.. Barns is
II years Of age, though no one would sus-
pect it by his looks, He belongs 70 Gp old
and quite family numerous of that name
His grandparents were among the first set
tiers of that region, then included in No.
pOngalia county. His grandfather in the
memorable year of l776, planted corn on
the bank af the AonongahslA, half mile
below Rairmont. Mr.. Barns ancestors
were .Euglish. He was reared a farmer;
married at the age of 25; subsequently lost
his wife, and married again about FIVE yearS
ago. His first wife wHs sister of DR.. q.
Kdwell. Mr., Barns has been in business
as meEChant, great part Of bis life. AT
present he is farmer, and agent of the
Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad Company Mt
Evansville. n rr-r r-7rsLafHr
. He represented Marion county in the
Legislature at Richmond in 1858, '64, '65
and 80, aud was proHinsqt ip bis sdVopa=
cy of West Virginia rights and interests,
and in his opposition to those enormous
sWindles, called by courtesy ''internal i'm
proVemenls," by which the State debt was
In tho winter of 'Sa, he spoke in opposition
to the appropriations for the CoVlngtop apd
Manassas Gap railroad, and was ardent and
7ealops all the way through in his opposi-
tion to these and kindred measures.
Mr.. Barhs wasin the hottest of the fight
with Jones' cavalry at Fairmont, which
took place on the 29th of last April, aud
then and there rsceiVed severe wound in
the head from tnusket ball, which cut the
skull pretty deep bpt did not dangerously
fracture it. He was canRRed seVeTal weeks
to his room and the wound Is barely heal.
ed now. 1t was fayorite saying of his
defeated opponents that this wound elected
Mr.. Barns 10 the House OF Delegates, and
one of them is reported rs having said to
him, "Ah, John, the bullet which wounded
you killed me-" .G ct
Politically, Ar. Barns has been Demo.
crat, from the time he was eighteen years
of age. He did not Yote for Gen. Jackson
but only for the reason that he was not old
enough, When the Democratic party split
at Charleston he adhered to that wing of
it represented by Mr.. Douglas, and voted
for that esnaidHte, for President, 10 1885,
bis father vas Q Whig, 40 we're his
not imbibe Wbig principles, but set
has always been strict constructionist,
believing that the Federal Government
was supreme, in all particulars where the
Constitution expressly made 1t so, and that
the states we're supreme in ell others, but
utterly denies any power OF secesaian on
the part of any State: He vas opposed to
the call for the Convention which passed
the SECESSION ordinance; believed the Leg.
isIature had no power to pall III for this
reason, when solicited, declined to be q
candidate for the Convention. He voted
With many others, in tho Juue CouVeutiou
against the ordinance for division Of the
State, believing the time had not come
though he had always been for divisioui
but when that ordinance was submitted
| to the people voted for il. He voted for
the Constitution when submitted in April
1862, and voted an informal vote at the
sane time for emancipation, end Of course
voted for the amended Constitutions last
May. l,5.s ~ ,71a
| Rsligiously, Mr.. Barns isa member o.
the Methodist Protestant Church, and hal
been for the past twenty years. q great
part Of tho time . steward aud class
Header in the Church. W
Mr.. Barns is the owner of two slaves
has always believed slavery an injury te
the State and that it ought 10 be abolished
but holds it matter that belongs entirely
to the States Interested.
Personally, Mr.. Barns 10 about 6yI
feet. nine inches in height, aud rathel
sparely built, wears smoothly shaver
face; hair rather dark and growing some
4 what thin on top; features not handsome
but agreeable in expressioui eyes blue gray
and rather shrewd; is fluent in conversa
tion, but, does not speak often, though hi
is very attentive to and earnest about bus
liness, which he Is likely to knoW'aslmuoh
abont as the pe3t one. That he is q shreWC
business man, and looks out for the prin'
cipal chance is eyideneed by the fact tha
he is possessed of q very fair share Of thi
worlds goods; 5apd 7if he attends to III,
interests OF his constitnents as we'll as b.
usually does TO bis own, they will have nj
canse 70 complain Of him as q represents
tive. 10 manner he Is affAble and unre
eerVed, and upon the whole is very goo'
member and agreeable gentleman. 81
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