Carey, Charles Henry.  "History of Oregon." Vol. 3. Chicago-Portland: Pioneer
Historical Pub. Co., 1922.  p. 139.

RICHARD LEA BARNES

Richard Lea Barnes has long been identified with banking interests in Portland
and is still a representative of the directorate of the United States National
Bank of which for a number of years he was the vice president. He comes of
ancestry distinctively English in its lineal and collateral lines and was born
at Berbice, Demerara, British Guiana, on the 31st of July, 1857. His ancestral
line can be traced back to the reign of King Edward III in the middle of the
fourteenth century. His parents at the time of his birth were residing
temporarily in South America and following their return to England he became a
student in Cheltenham College, from which he was graduated upon the completion
of his course of study.

Early in his business career Mr. Barnes became identified with banking and
thoroughly acquainted himself with every phase of the business, realizing that
efficiency and fidelity meant advancement. Step by step he worked his way upward
until there came to him a comprehensive knowledge of banking in every phase. He
made the business his life work and after five years' experience along that line
in London he sought the opportunities of the new world, removing to San
Francisco, where he was active in banking circles for a similar period. He
likewise spent five years in banks in British Columbia and for an equal length
of time was identified with the banking interests of Seattle, after which he
removed to Portland where he took up his abode more than two decades ago. While
residing in British Columbia he was a representative of the Bank of British
Columbia, formerly the Wells Fargo Bank, also of the United States National Bank
and the Colonial Bank of the West Indies. After coming to Portland he was
elected to the vice presidency of the United States National Bank of this city
and still remains a member of its board of directors. For a considerable period
he gave his attention to the development of the business of the bank and as one
of its executives bent his efforts to administrative direction and executive
control. He ever recognized the fact that the bank which most carefully
safeguards the interests of its depositors is the one most worthy of public
trust and confidence and he did much to install a policy that was above reproach
or question.

In 1898 Mr. Barnes was united in marriage to Mrs. Kenneth Macleay and to them
was born one son, Richard, who is now employed in the office of the Portland
Flour Mills.

Mr. Barnes is a communicant of the Episcopal church and is identified with all
of the leading social clubs of Portland, He is a popular man, social and genial,
and one whose salient qualities contributed in direct measure to his success as
a banker and to the upbuilding of the financial institution with which he has
been associated throughout the period of his residence in Portland.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in November 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.