Henry KARNES
Biography

Aged 76 yrs., 19 ds.; son of Henry Karnes and Catherine Hutsinpiller Karnes.

From a "History of Highland County, Ohio, we are told that a Henry Kerns made a trip from Greenbrier County Virginia, through Maysville, Kentucky to Highland County in 1815-1816. In 1818 he brought his family to Paint Township, Ohio, and established them first in a temporary home, later buying a farm of 160 acres. He died in 1843, leaving his property to his son, John.


"State Centennial History of Ohio and Highland County" VII by Rev. J. W. Klise Page 357-358
Joseph Karnes, owner of a fine farm of five hundred acres in Paint Township and extensively engaged in the livestock industry, is a member of one of the old and representative families of Highland County. As early as 1815-16 grandfather Henry Karnes made a trip of observation from Greenbrier County, W. Va. to spy out the land in the Western country with a view to settlement. With a party of emigrants he stopped at Maysville, Ky., and from there came to New Market, dubsequently inspecting various portions of Highland County. He selected what he regarded as a desirable spot and in 1818 brought his family to Paint Township, establishing them temporarily about one mile east of Rainsboro.

He then bought from John C. Upp, a well-known blacksmith of that period, one hundred and sixty acres of land at the place he had previously chosen, and in 1819 moved with his family to this new home. It was better improved than most of the purchases of that day in Highland, inasmuch as it was equipped with log cabin, pole stable, blacksmith shop, well and orchard. Only some twenty or twenty-five acres were cleared, however, and it took a great deal of work to get this heavily timbered tract in suitable condition for agricultural purposes. Grandfather Karnes passed away in 1846 at the age of seventy-six years and the property descended to his son, John, born in Virginia March 23, 1811, who made large additions to the area of the farm besides greatly improving it in other respects. John Karnes was married in 1840 to Eliza Hartman, whose father, Isaac Hartman, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and had come from Rockbridge County, Va. to the falls of Paint Creek and later settled in Highland County before the coming of the Karnes family. Mr. Hartman died in 1843 and his wife in 1854. John Karnes and his wife lived happily on the homestead farm many years. He was killed May 14, 1877, as the result of a team running away with him, and his wife expired January 26, 1897, in the seventy-ninth year of her age. Their only child, Joseph Karnes, was born on the parental farm in Paint Township, Highland County, Ohio, October 24, 1841, and inherited the 500 acres of land which his father owned at the time of his death. On this farm he was reared to manhood, here he received his education in the neighboring schools and here he spent all the days of his life. For many years after reaching maturity he carried on the farm work in conjunction with his father and he was married November 29, 1871, to Gertrude Miller, a native of Illinois. This lady's father, Dickinson Miller, was a brave Union soldier who suffered imprisonment in the horrible den at Andersonville and died later as a result of his hardship. Two of his sons also served in the Union army, one of them being killed in the skirmish line at the battle of Peachtree Creek, near Atlanta. Mr. Karnes, besides general farming, pays especial attention to livestock, buying and feeding cattle, and raising Poland-China hogs. His land is well-improved and equipped with all the requirements of progressive agriculture and he is justly regarded as one of the representative farmers of his township. He served five years as trustee of Paint Township and has been a member of the school board for fifteen years, holding the position of president for one-third of the time. He is a member of the Friends church, of which he has been an elder for five years. Mr. and Mrs. Karnes have eight children: Harry, John, Joseph, Frank, George, Clyde, Nellie and Clarence.

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