BARNEBEY, CHARLIE MACK AND NINA "FLORENCE" (GARRETT)

by Nina (Scott) Clark

Entry F11 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

1903 wedding picture of Charlie Mack Barnebey and
Nina "Florence" Garrett

The eldest son of William and Lydia
Barnebey, Charlie Mack was born March 21,
1879, near Downing (Schuyler County),
Missouri. The family moved to Iowa and were
settled on a farm at New Sharon when
Charlie was four years old. It was from here
they they came first to Broken Bow, Nebras-
ka, then on to Hooker County in June, 1887,
about the time the Burlington Railroad
reached the settlement that was soon to
become Mullen.

Charlie lived with his family on their
homestead a few miles south of Mullen. After
finishing the tenth grade, Charlie started
teaching in the country schools at 17 years of
age. He continued to be involved in the
schools of Hooker County as a member of the
first board of regents of Hooker County High
School and also as a director of District #2
school board for many years. From 1943 until
his retirement, Charlie worked as grade
school custodian and then carpenter/repair-
man for both schools in Mullen. In addition
he was well known as a craftsman, doing
furniture repair and picture framing with a
specialty in arrowhead display frames for the
many arrowhead hunters in the area.

During his life in Mullen, Charlie served
many years in various public offices. He was
first elected Justice of the Peace and then
County Judge, but soon resigned this position
to travel to Idaho and Washington. During
the time he was County Judge, Charlie tells
of officiating at a marriage for a man who said
he would come back in six months and pay
him according to what it was worth. True to
his word, the man did return and gave him
half a pumpkin.

After returning from the Northwest, Char-
lie served several years as County Clerk,
receiving no salary except fees, and was also
County Treasurer for a couple of years. He
was visible in the community in many
capacities over the years, including real
estate agent, auctioneer, bank cashier of
MuIlen Citizens Bank, insurance salesman,
carpenter and school janitor. He helped put
up the first telephone lines in Mullen and
played in the community band during the
early 1900's. He also had the first motorized
dray in Mullen.

Charlie was involved in a number of the
"firsts" in Mullen, including being a member
of the first class when the Methodist Church
organized in 1891. His signature is included
on their articles of incorporation in August,
1903, and he was a faithful member who held
most of the layman's offices at one time or
another. He was a charter member of the
Mullen Lodge A.F. & A.M., and also belonged
to the Order of Eastern Star, holding num-
erous offices in both organizations over the
years.

An item in 1903 Hooker County Tribune
says "Charlie Barnebey thought he was
playing a joke on his friends when he stole
away into the country last week to lead one
of Hooker county's fairest and most highly
accomplished young ladies to the matrimo-
nial altar." The fair young lady who married
Charlie on October 29, 1903 was Nina
Florence Garrett, daughter of James and
Alice Garrett who had moved to Hooker
County with their family in 1888. They came
in a covered wagon from the territory which
is now the state of Oklahoma when Florence
was 12 years old, and made their home on a
farm south of Mullen. Like her husband,
Florence taught in the rural schools of
Hooker County. The Barnebeys lived in
Mullen all but a period from 1920 to 1942,
during which time they resided in Lakeside,
Nebraska. The four children born at their
Mullen home to Charlie and Florence were
Olin, Zelma (Scott), Walter and Ruth.

Florence died of cancer at their home on
August 12, 1948. Ruth continued living at
home to care for Charlie and Olin. Walter and
Zelma both married and moved elsewhere
with their families, but each returned to live
in Mullen during their retirement years.
Charlie died on January 13, 1968, following
a heart attack, and he is buried beside his
wife, Florence, in the Cedarview Cemetery at
Mullen.