In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910)
JOHN M. BARNETT.
This sketch concerns itself with an agriculturist of Lafayette county, descended from pioneer families of the greatest worth, a man who by his industry and thrift has acquired for himself a competence, and has found his chosen occupation a pleasant and prosperous one. He has so lived that his neighbors, who are generally man's closest critics, all speak highly of him in no uncertain terms.
John M. Barnett was born in Washington township, Lafayette county, June 28, 1850. His father was Finley E. Barnett, who was born in Kentucky. His mother was Esculania Rankin, daughter of Robert and Margaret (Whitsett) Rankin, who were early settlers of this county. Esculania Rankin is said to have been the first white child born in Lafayette county. She is still living, at the age of eighty-seven, having been born December 8, 1822. Finley Barnett died in Sniabar township in 1890, when seventy-four years old.
John M. Barnett was the fourth of eight children and grew up on his father's farm, and has always been a resident of Lafayette county. He was married in Johnson county, Missouri, on February 20, 1872, to Sue E. Graham, who was born in Johnson county, October 17, 1851, a daughter of John G. and Nancy E. (Hobson) Graham. Her mother was born in Missouri, and her father in Virginia. They were, like Mr. Barnett's grandparents, also very early settlers, having been among the first to settle in Johnson county. They both died in Johnson county, he in July, 1878, when sixty-seven years old, she in April, 1908, when eighty-six. Of their eleven children, Mrs. Barnett was the seventh.
Mr. and Mrs. Barnett are the parents of ten children: Alvn G., William E., Joseph R., J. Henry, Elizabeth, Thomas B., Buford (who died when nine years old), Helen V., Finley H. and John G.
Mr. Barnett has followed farming, stock raising and stock feeding all his life. He owns three hundred and eighty acres of land, all well improved, and on which he has erected good buildings. His farming operations have been uniformly prosperous. He has been an elder and a deacon in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in which church both he and his wife are active. Mr. Barnett is a man of strong Christian character and a citizen whom his community values highly.
As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1910. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.