Earl Mason Carnes was born July 3, 1889 to J. S. Carnes and Jennie Wood at New Helena, Custer County, Nebraska. When he was a small child his parents moved to Cass County, where he attended rural schools.
In 1906 the family moved to Antelope County when Earl was 17 years old. He attended Gates Academy in Neligh. Earl and Lulu Harlan of Purdy, Missouri were married February 8, 1914 and she died July 31, 1916. He moved back and farmed with his father. On June 27, 1928 he married Edna Harnish at her parents' home in O'Neill. She was the daughter of James C and Jane Harnish. She attended O'Neill schools and graduated from O'Neill High School. She taught school in District 127, Holt County and then worked in the County Treasurer office in Holt County. After the marriage, they moved to Neligh where Edna gave piano lessons and taught sunday school. They farmed several years east of Neligh then moved near Plainview. When his health failed, they moved to Plainview where he did carpenter work until retirement in 1949. In 1950, they moved to Omaha where Earl died on August 1, 1963. Edna died there on April 19, 1971. Both are buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Neligh.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007