The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 653 CHARLES H. BARNES. Charles H. Barnes, a Yakima merchant imbued with the spirit of western enterprise and progress, was born in Nebraska, April 11, 1878, a son of Ambrose and Catherine (Milliner) Barnes, both of whom were natives of Indiana and became pioneer settlers of Nebraska, where they homesteaded land. The father devoted his life to the occupation of farming and both he and his wife have now passed away, the mother having died in 1885. The father afterward removed to Seattle, Washington, where he arrived in 1888, and later he took up his abode at Sehome, Washington, where he preempted government land. He realized ten thousand dollars upon that investment and later he purchased a schooner and entered the trading business, making trips among the islands of the Sound. He was thus engaged for several years and in later life he lived retired in Bellingham, enjoying the fruits of former toil. His death there occurred in the year 1911. He had served his country as a soldier of the Civil war and was at all times a loyal citizen, being as true and faithful to his country in days of peace as when he followed the nation's starry banner on the battlefields of the south. Charles H. Barnes was a lad of but seven years at the time of his mother's death and was but ten years of age when the family home was established in Washington. His education was largely acquired in the public schools of Bellingham and when sixteen years of age he went to the east, where he secured a clerkship and also attended school. He afterward returned to Bellingham, where he engaged in clerking for a number of years, and in 1901 he took up his abode in Yakima and became a traveling salesman. Subsequently he was taken ill and remained at the hotel in Yakima for a considerable period. He next took a position with J. A. Cook, proprietor of a variety store, and afterward the business was removed to the Miller building and about 1906 was taken over by Mr. Barnes, Miles Cannon and William Iler under the name of the Boston Store Company. This business was located on East Yakima avenue and the firm continued to conduct the enterprise for a year and a half in the original partnership relation, after which Mr. Barnes and Mr. Cannon purchased the interest of Mr. Iler. A little later C. H. Woodin became the successor of Mr. Cannon and the Barnes-Woodin Company was thus formed, with Dlr. Barnes as the manager of the business. He so continued until 1914, when he sold his interest to his partner and entered the jobbing business as a partner in the Rolle-Barnes Company, with which he was associated for two years. Then going to New York for this company, he did the buying for eleven retail stores handling ready-to-wear clothing. He still has an interest in the wholesale business in Seattle but on the 6th of April, 1918, he returned to Yakima and opened a fine store in the Masonic Temple, where he occupies a space fifty by one hundred and thirty feet, carrying an extensive line of attractive millinery and ladies' and children's ready-to-wear clothing. Throughout practically his entire life he has been identified with the dry goods business and is thoroughly familiar with it in every detail. He has closely studied the trade, the market and the demands of the public and is ready to meet any emergency or call that may arise. His experience as a New York buyer has well qualified him to stock his store in such a way as to give to the public a most desirable and attractive line of goods. His business methods, too, are most reliable and his patronage is continually increasing. On the 12th of June, 1900, Mr. Barnes was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Van Loon, a native of Iowa and a daughter of John and Laura (Thompson) Van Loon. The father was a grandson of Mr. Brady, a well known Iowa pioneer, his name being also remembered in connection with the famous "Brady's Leap." Laura (Thompson) Van Loon was a daughter of William Thompson, who was the first white man to till soil in Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have been born two children, Charles H. and Catherine Dean. Mr. Barnes belongs to Yakima Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M., Yakima Chapter No. 21, R. A. M.; Yakima Commandery No. 13, K. T.; the Consistory; and Afifi Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a life member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. That he is active in support of business measures and conditions having to do with the commercial welfare and progress of the city is indicated by his membership in the Yakima Valley Business Men's Association and in the Commercial Club and in the latter he has for many years served on the governing board. He attends the Congregational church and he gives his political allegiance to the republican party. Aside from his business he has become the owner of several fine ranches and by his investment in property in the valley has manifested his faith in its future. He is a self-made man whose enterprise and progressiveness have been the dominant factors in his advancement. He is popular because of his personal worth and a social, genial nature manifest in an unfeigned cordiality. Yakima numbers him among her leading merchants and the valley classes him with the representative citizens who have been the dominant element in the substantial upbuilding of the west. ******************************** Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.