Lyman Eddy Barnes Sr. (June 30, 1855 – January 16, 1904) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Appleton, Wisconsin. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 8th congressional district during the 53rd Congress (1893–1895). Earlier in his career, he served as district attorney of Outagamie County, Wisconsin.[1]
Lyman E. Barnes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 8th district | |
| In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | |
| Preceded by | Nils P. Haugen |
| Succeeded by | Edward S. Minor |
| District Attorney of Outagamie County, Wisconsin | |
| In office January 1, 1891 – January 1, 1893 | |
| Preceded by | John Goodland |
| Succeeded by | George H. Dawson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lyman Eddy Barnes June 30, 1855 Weyauwega, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | January 16, 1904 (aged 48) Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Appendicitis |
| Resting place | Riverside Cemetery, Appleton |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Helen Byrd Conkey
(m. 1880–1904) |
| Children |
|
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Theodore Conkey (father-in-law) |
Early life
editLyman Barnes was born in Weyauwega, Wisconsin. He attended the public schools in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, until age 17 when he began studying law in the office of Earl P. Lynch and Charles Barber of Oshkosh. He finished his legal education at the law department of Columbia College, in New York City, graduating in 1876.[2]
He immediately returned to Wisconsin, moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, and was admitted to the bar there later that year. He formed a law partnership in 1877 with John Goodland, father of future governor Walter Samuel Goodland. In 1882, he moved to Rockledge, Florida, and practiced law there for about five years before returning to Appleton.
Political career
editHe was elected district attorney of Outagamie County in 1890.[3]
In 1892, Barnes decided to seek the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 8th congressional district. Wisconsin had just undergone redistricting for the 1890 United States census, and none of Wisconsin's incumbent U.S. representatives resided in the new 8th district. Barnes faced a difficult contest for the nomination against former U.S. representative Thomas R. Hudd. Barnes and Hudd traveled around the district, collecting the support of delegates at various county level conventions. A serious controversy arose from the Portage County convention, where Hudd accused Barnes' supporters of buying delegates. Several prominent Democrats in the district pledged not to support Barnes if the charges were proved.[4] The controversy alone damaged Barnes in the subsequent Brown County convention and left Hudd in a strong position going into the district convention.[5] Nevertheless, Barnes managed to secure the nomination on the first ballot at the convention.[6]
In the general election, Barnes faced Kaukauna businessman and former mayor Henry A. Frambach.[7] Frambach had little formal education and a brief political career, but his campaign sought to emphasize his war record, especially at the Battle of Shiloh. Frambach's Republican allies also sought to exacerbate lingering tensions from the Democratic nominating process, insinuating that Hudd would support Frambach over Barnes.[8] Barnes won the election with 53% of the vote.[9]
Barnes served in the Democratic majority in the 53rd United States Congress (March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895) and ran for re-election in 1894. He was renominated without opposition[10] and went on to the general election against Edward S. Minor, a former state senator who was then mayor of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The campaign was bitter and negative, with partisan newspapers slinging accusations and innuendo.[11] The national mood had also turned decisively against the Democrats following the Panic of 1893. Barnes lost his bid for re-election, taking only 42% of the vote in the 1894 general election.[12]
Later years and death
editAfter losing re-election, Barnes resumed his legal career in Appleton. He never ran for elected office again, but in 1903 was appointed to a state court commission to redraw the state's judicial circuits.[13]
On January 10, 1904, Barnes suffered an acute attack of Appendicitis and was taken into the hospital, where surgery was performed. For the first several days after the surgery, his condition appeared to improve, but his condition deteriorated badly on January 15, he spiked a fever and suffered from intense pain and delirium. He died early in the morning on January 16, 1904, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Appleton.[14]
He was interred at Riverside Cemetery in Appleton.[15]
Personal life
editLyman Barnes was the son of William W. Barnes and his wife Lucy Eddy (née Thomas).[2]
Barnes married Helen Byrd Conkey, the daughter of Theodore Conkey, in 1880. They had at least five children.
Electoral history
editU.S. House (1892, 1894)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892[9] | General | Nov. 8 | Lyman E. Barnes | Democratic | 18,187 | 52.87% | Henry A. Frambach | Rep. | 12,358 | 44.11% | 34,400 | 3,014 |
| John P. Zonne | Proh. | 1,040 | 3.02% | |||||||||
| 1894[12] | General | Nov. 6 | Edward S. Minor | Republican | 19,902 | 54.22% | Lyman E. Barnes | Dem. | 15,522 | 42.29% | 36,707 | 4,380 |
| John Faville | Proh. | 949 | 2.59% | |||||||||
| Andrew J. Larabee | Peo. | 330 | 0.90% | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Lyman Eddy Barnes (1855 - 1904)". Wisconsin Historical Society. 17 January 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
- ^ a b "Lyman E. Barnes Is Dead". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. January 16, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved December 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1893). "Part VIII. Biographical". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 621. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ "A Very Serious Charge". Green Bay Press-Gazette. August 23, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mr. Hudd's Chances". Green Bay Press-Gazette. August 31, 1892. p. 7. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Barnes is Nominated". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 9, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "A Typical American". Wood County Reporter. September 22, 1892. p. 1. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hudd Cordially Endorses Barnes". The Appleton Crescent. October 1, 1892. p. 1. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1893). "Biographical Sketches". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 621. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Going Through the Motions". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 11, 1894. p. 4. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Personalities in Campaign Work". Green Bay Press-Gazette. October 13, 1894. p. 2. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Casson, Henry, ed. (1895). "Biographical Sketches". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 660. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Appleton Lawyer Honored". Appleton Post. July 9, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lyman E. Barnes Passes Away". Appleton Crescent. January 16, 1904. p. 1. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lyman E. Barnes Buried". Montreal River Miner. January 22, 1904. p. 6. Retrieved July 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
edit- United States Congress. "Lyman E. Barnes (id: B000159)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Lyman Eddy Barnes at Find a Grave