Josephus Sigle Carnes was born February 25, 1863 to Josephus Valentine Carnes and Nancy Adams at Glenwood, Mills County, Iowa. Preceding his birth, his father enlisted in the infantry of the Civil War and he was three years old before his father returned. In 1865, the family moved to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, then to Louisville, Cass County and shortly afterward to Greenwood. His mother died when he was seven years old. He attended rural schools in Cass County.
He became acquainted with Jennie Wood when she worked for his parents. He and Jennie were married at Greenwood on June 20, 1886. She was the daughter of Allen Wood and Sarah Howard. She was born September 30, 1869 in Chicago, Illinois and came to Ulysses, Butler County, Nebraska with her parents from Cambridge, Illlinois. They lived for awhile at Greenwood where J. S. had a dray service. They then moved to New Helena, Custer County, Nebraska where he was engaged in the dray business and farming for four years. They lived in a sod house and their two oldest sons, Josephus Frank and Earl Mason were born there. They moved back to Cass County to Greenwood where Floyd Allen was born, then to Weeping Water where Ralph Leslie, Lynn Harold and Edward Searl were born. They then moved to Wabash where Florence Elizabeth was born. Helen Donzella was born after they moved to Neligh, Antelope County.
In 1905, J. S. bought 320 acres five miles east and one and one-half miles north of Neligh. The family joined him in 1906. He was a farmer, cattle feeder and cattle and horse raiser. He was one of the first farmers to have mechanized machinery. He and his sons did custom threshing and shelling for years. In 1942, J. S. retired to Neligh. On September 7, 1942, Jennie died and J. S. maintained the home until he died on February 11, 1956.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007