The Biographical Dictionary of America/Barnes, Alfred Smith

​BARNES, Alfred Smith, publisher, was born at New Haven, Conn., Jan. 28, 1817, son of Eli and Susan (Morris) Barnes, descended from the original settlers of Fair Haven and New Haven, Conn. The son was brought up to work on a farm in the summer and attend school during the winter. When about sixteen years of age he obtained employment in the book store of Daniel F. Robinson. He removed with the firm of D.F. Robinson & Co. to New York city in 1835 and in 1838, when he arrived at the age of twenty-one, he entered into partnership with Prof. Charles Davies, the well-known mathematician. In 1838 they removed to Hartford, and founded the house of A.S. Barnes & Co., publishers of mathematical text-books. Mr. Barnes personally canvassed the state of Connecticut for patronage for their school books, and finding the manufacturing facilities at Hartford limited, the house was removed in 1840 to Philadelphia, and in 1844 to New York, where they published "The National Series" of standard school books. He founded and published the Magazine of American History. He was a liberal benefactor of the Y.M.C.A., the Academy of Music and the Public library in Brooklyn, and of the Long Island Historical society and the various Presbyterian boards of missions. He gave Barnes hall costing $45000 to Cornell university and $25,000 to the Home for Incurables, in Brooklyn. He was married in 1841 to Harriet Burr, and in 1883 to Mary M. Smith. He died Feb. 17. 1888.