Ellery Barnes was born March 27, 1850 at St. Albans, Vermont. In 1876 he married Edna Burnham, the daughter of Ebenezer and Charlotte Burnham. The couple came to the Melville area in 1882 and homesteaded in Melville Township on the Northwest 1/4 of Section 28. He later acquired land on Section 20. The family later moved to Carrington to give the children the benefit of school. In 1902 they moved to Minneapolis.
The couple had four children: Edwin, Helen, Mrs. Emil Larson and Raymond.
Mrs. Barnes died September 22, 1908 and Mr. Barnes February 26, 1912. Both are buried in Minneapolis.
Helen Barnes was a member of Carrington High School Class of 1902. She was a graduate of Pharmacy of the University of Minnesota. She married John Hamilton and lived in Canada until her death in 1919.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 6B