John W. Barns, of the Bryce, Barns and Green Manufacturing Company, of GrandHaven, is a wide-awake and enterprising young business man, who has the honor ofbeing a native of the city which is still his home, his birth having hereoccurred in 1862. His father, John W. Barns, was a native of Vermont, and becameone of the early settlers of Grand Haven, where he resided until called to thehome beyond, in 1892. In politics, he was a Democrat and took quite an activeinterest in political and public affairs. He served as Alderman of the city forseveral years and was also a member of the School Board. He long held membershipwith the Odd Fellows’ Society and was widely and favorably known in thislocality. He married Ruth C. Breau, a native of New York, and a daughter ofPeter Breau, who was born in France. She is still residing in Grand Haven. Theancestors of the Barns family came from Scotland.

Our subject has spent almost his entire life in this city. His boyhood dayswere passed midst play and work, and in the common schools he acquired a liberaleducation. At the age of twenty-one he made a contract to furnish cooperagestock for the firm of Kilbourn & Co., of Grand Haven and continued in thatline of business for a period of seven years, on the expiration of which heabandoned it in order to turn his attention to other pursuits.

In 1884 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Barns and Miss Lillie Stone, alady of culture and refinement, who is a native of Ohio, and a daughter ofGeorge W. Stone. Their union has been blessed with two children, a son and adaughter, Florence and Kenneth. The Barns home is a hospitable one, and oursubject and his wife rank high in social circles where true worth andintelligence are received as the passports into good society.

After discontinuing his connection with Kilbourn & Co., Mr. Barns formeda partnership with M. L. Green and Mr. Bryce, and established the presentbusiness, under the firm name of The Bryce, Barns & Green ManufacturingCompany. Our subject is now superintendent of the works. They do a generalplanning-mill business, manufacture all kinds of woodwork for interiorfinishing, stairs, etc., and also manufacture sash, doors and blinds. The millis equipped with all the latest improved machinery for work in this line and hasa capacity of forty thousand feet of lumber per day. Employment is furnished toten men throughout the year, and the business, which is constantly increasing,is now in a flourishing condition under the able management of Mr. Barns. He isa man of excellent business and executive ability, pays careful attention to alldetails, and is sagacious and far-sighted. He is strictly honorable in alldealings, and the confidence and regard of the community are his in a highdegree. In politics, he is a supporter of the Democracy, but has never been anaspirant for official preferment. Socially, he is a member of the Order of RedMen, belonging to Highland Camp No. 203, Maccabees.