Clarence Alfred Barnes (August 28, 1882[1] – May 26, 1970[2]) was an American politician who served as attorney general of Massachusetts from 1945 to 1949.
Early life
Barnes attended Chauncey Hall School, Yale University, and Yale Law School.[1] In 1904 he was captain of the Yale Bulldogs baseball team. He had four children with his first wife, Helen V. Long.[3][4] His oldest son Clare Barnes, Jr. was an advertising executive who published a best-selling series of picture books.[5] In 1927, the 45-year old Barnes married 18-year old Doreen Kane.[4]
From 1936 to 1940, Barnes was the president of the Boston Athletic Association, organizer of the Boston Marathon.[6]
Politics
Barnes political career began in Mansfield, Massachusetts, where he served as town counsel and moderator of the Town meeting. From 1912 to 1913, he served as a state representative, and he was a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1917–18.[1]
Barnes was the Republican nominee for attorney general in 1938 but lost to incumbent Paul A. Dever.[7] He ran again in 1940, but lost the Republican nomination to Robert T. Bushnell.[8] Barnes was a member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council from 1943 to 1944. In 1944, he defeated former Lieutenant Governor Francis E. Kelly to become attorney general.[9] Barnes defeated Kelly again in 1946, but lost to him in 1948.[10] He was a candidate for governor in 1950, but lost the nomination to Arthur W. Coolidge. Barnes was also a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1940, 1944, 1948, and 1952.[3]
Barnes died on May 26, 1970, at Martha's Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.
References
- ^ a b c d e Irving N. Hayden; Lawrence R. Grove. 1945-1946 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- ^ a b c d "Clarence A. Barnes, Republican leader". The New York Times. May 27, 1970.
- ^ a b c "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Barnes".
- ^ a b "Atty Barnes Marries Mansfield Girl of 18". The Boston Globe. October 9, 1927.
- ^ (19 January 2006). Fair price, good service, & plenty of laughs Archived 2009-08-12 at the Wayback Machine, The Martha's Vineyard Times
- ^ "2022 Boston Marathon Media Guideq" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Attorney General Race - Nov 08, 1938".
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Attorney General - R Primary Race - Sep 17, 1940".
- ^ "Our Campaigns - MA Attorney General Race - Nov 07, 1944".
- ^ "The Political Graveyard: Massachusetts: State Attorneys General".