Barnes, John S. (John Sanford), 1836-1911

John Paul Jones is among the most romantic and written-about figures in Revolutionary history. His raising of the first American flag aboard a naval vessel in 1776, his response to the British call to surrender Bon Homme Richard of "I have not yet begun to fight," and his victory aboard that vessel over Serapis in 1779 are elements of American nation-building with almost mythic significance. John Sanford Barnes's Jones collection was a product of his general interest in naval history (with a focus on heroic exploits) magnified by an often-mentioned family connection with Jones's contemporaries Admiral Barry (q.v.) and Commodore Bainbridge (q.v.): John Sanford Barnes's wife's grandfather James Hayes was a nephew of and adopted by John Barry; his wife's mother was Bainbridge's daughter, Sarah Bainbridge Hayes.

A naval commander who saw service during the Civil War, John Sanford Barnes (the son of General James Barnes) was related by marriage to both Commander Bainbridge and Admiral Barry. He devoted his later life to collecting naval memorabilia; his manuscript collections and library formed the basis of the collections of the Naval History Society, of which he served as the first president.

Cooper's "History" provides a perfect setting for the physical manifestation of Barnes's lifelong interest in naval history and memorabilia, citing as it does every major naval engagement and personality. This work, when considered together with the Miscellaneous Manuscripts, US Navy: Officer's autograph letters, and John Paul Jones collections within the Naval History Society's collections, is material evidence of Barnes's passion for collecting and its meticulous documentation.