"Benjamin (Barnes) … b. 24 July, 1653, … Benjamin d. 24 Apr. 1731 'accounted about 80 years old.' … Benjamin Barnes … who was accepted as a proprietor of Waterbury, Jan. 15, 1677-8, taking the place of Richard Seymour. He was an early settler, but probably was not of the first company. He had no allotment of fence in the first division; but his name is found in the other divisions. He signed the agreement with Mr. Peck, in 1689; was moderator of proprietors' meetings, in 1694-5; 'grave digger' in 1699; townsman, school committee, lister, hayward, collector and grand juror, at different times; deputy to the General Court, in 1703. His house and home lot of two acres were on the corner of West and North Main streets, the lot being bounded, in 1687, easterly and south on highway, north on common and westerly on Samuel Hickox. The homestead and some outlands he conveyed, in 1714, to his son Thomas, in consideration of the said Thomas taking care of him while he lived and paying his just debts, 'and taking the care of his father's wife, if he should haue one, with a comfortable maintenance, and the whole term of her being his widow.' Afterwards, in 1728, the homestead, now two and a half acres, was conveyed to Joseph Smith, father and son uniting in the deed. When the new meeting house came to be seated, 'Goodman Barnes,' (still a widower, apparently) along with other aged worthies, was voted into the first pew at the west end of the pulpit. … He joined the Farmington church March 22d, 1690-1, and died April 24, 1731, being the last of the original proprietors who became settlers as early as he."
