The LDS tell us that Ira was the son of James and Lydia Barnes.
__________

We first see Ira in 1850, living at Spring Valley, Rock County, Wisconsin:
James Barnes 47 Farmer New York
Lydia Barnes 38 New York
Polly Barnes 21 New York
William J Barnes 14 New York
Bessy A Barnes 7 New York
Ira Barnes 9 Illinois
Eunice Barnes 8 Illinois
Alonzo Barnes & Illinois
Lavancha Barnes 5 Wisconsin
Fanny Z Barnes 3 Wisconsin
James Barnes 25 Farmer New York
__________

We see Ira in 1870, living in the village of Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin, with his wife and son Marzo. They were living with several others in the boarding house of a Catharine Conet, a widow from Hesse Damstadt, Germany:
Ira Barnes M 35 Cabinet Maker New York
Eliza Barnes F 25 Wisconsin
Marzo Barnes M 2 Wisconsin
__________

We can see Ira in 1880, living with his parents and two children living at Brodhead, Green County, Wisconsin. He's identified as a widower.

James Barnes Head Mar 76 NY Retired Farmer RI MA
Lydia Barnes Wife Mar 74 NY Keeping House RI RI
Ira Barnes Son Wid 40 IL Furniture Merchant NY NY
Marzo Barnes GSon 12 WI At Home IL WI
Ruth Barnes GDau 5 Dakota IL WI

Unfortunately, we don't yet know any further details about Ira's first wife, other than she was born in Wisconsin, USA.
__________

I believe from the obituary of Ira's second wife's mother (Amelia Knibbs) that Ira and his second wife Mary Knibbs were living in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 1887 when Mary's mother died at Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.
Tragically, Ira's mother also died in January 1887 and Ira was unable to attend her funeral at Broadhead, Wisconsin on 5 January because he was at his mother-in-law Amelia Knibbs' death bed with his wife.
__________

In 1889-1890, Ira was living in Aberdeen City, Brown County, South Dakota and had sisters-in-law Harriet and Helen B Knibbs living with him as boarders.
__________

We see Ira in 1900, living at Aieolet Avenue, Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota:
Ira Barnes Head Mar 60 Grocery Mechant Illinois
Catherine Barnes Wife 41 (married 19 years) Housewife Wisconsin
John K Barnes Son 18 at School Wisconsin
Ruth J Barnes Daur 25 Kindergarten Teacher South Dakota

Ira's son Clark was iving in the house next door.
__________

In 1905, Ira appears in the South Dakota State census. He was living in Aberdeen, Brown Conty, and gave hois occupatin as Manager Barnes Crock Company.
__________

We see Ira in 1910 living at Aberdeen Ward 4, Brown, South Dakota:
Ira Barnes Head Mar 69 Illinois
Katherine H Barnes Wife Mar 51 Wisconsin
__________

In 1920, we see Ira living at Brown, South Dakota:
Ira Barnes Head Mar 79 Illinois
Katherine M Barnes Wife Mar 60 Wisconsin
Dortha Luker 35 Wisconsin
Bernice Farnam 28 South Dakota
Margurite Blair 26 South Dakota
Aggrues Sawyer 28 Kansas
Anna Lindblom 30 South Dakota
__________

We understand from an obituary for Ira's mother-in-law Amelia Knibbs, that Ira was "a gentleman highly esteemed". Other items have identified that he seemed to be an active and well respected member of the community at Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota.

From the Early History of Brown County, South Dakota by Miss Helen Bergh:
The greatest civic enterprise of its day was the erection of the Grain Palace in 1893. It stood at Main Street and Fifth Avenue covering half a block with a seating capacity for 1600 persons. The work was all done by citizens, who gave labor or pledges of money. It was an ornate structure devoted to conventions, entertainments and an annual fall display of agricultural products. One of these was denominated as the state fair. At this annual exposition the festivities were presided over by the Grain Lady known as the Queen of Aberdeen. She was wholly garbed in grains and grasses, on her head a crown of the same. Her left hand held flowers and upon her wrist was poised a live pigeon. Grain Palace sentiment was brought to the point of action by a committee consisting of Rev. F. A. Burdick, Ira Barnes, George Schlosser, Robert Moody as president and C. F. Easton, treasurer.

On January 7, 1899, Senator Lawson, often thought to be the father of the Northern Normal and Industrial School, proposed a bill for the creation of the school in Aberdeen; the bill went through many revisions and it would not be until March 2, 1899 that the new school would exist on paper; however both a site and funding were still needed. In 1900 Aberdeen had the fastest growing population in northern South Dakota and supporters for the building of the School began to organize in greater numbers.

Wealthy Aberdonians quickly responded and started to donate their land for the school; responding to the demand to pick a site, the Aberdeen City Council created a committee of twenty-five individuals responsible for choosing the location. The committee was comprised of the well-to-do individuals of Aberdeen, including Ira Barnes, W.F.T Bushnell, C.F. Easton, F.W. Brooks, Ed Askew, B.C. Lamont, William Tennant, W.G Bickellhaupt, James Lawson, and Andrew Melgaard.
__________

Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Ira.

It's a conjecture that Mary died in South Dakota.

Clark married a girl named Celeste Elizabeth Dowd in 1899.
__________

We see Clark in 1900, living at Aieolet Avenue, Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota, next door to his father:
Clark M Barnes Head Mar 32 Bysickle (sic) Dealer Wisconsin
Celeste Barnes Wife 27 (married 1 year) Housewife New York
Vernon West Boarder 10 At School South Dakota
__________

In 1910, the family was living at Aberdeen Ward 4, Brown, South Dakota:
Lorzo Barnes Head Mar 42 Wisconsin
Celeste Barnes Wife 37 New York
Elizabeth Barnes Daur 7 Minnesota
Jane Doud Mother-in-law 79 New York
Katharine Baker Niece 23 New York
__________

We can still see them at Brown, South Dakota in 1920:
Clark M Barnes Head Mar 50 El;ectrician Wisconsin
Celeste E Barnes Wife 45 New York
Elizabeth Barnes Daur 17 Minnesota
__________

Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Clark.

I think it was this Ruth Barnes who married a man named Bruce McVay from Iowa on 28 Jul 1909 at Aberdeen, South Dakota.

I believe Bruce was previously married to a girl named Lillian who died in 1907.
__________

I believe this is Bruce and Ruth in 1910, living at Woonsocket Ward 1, Sanborn, South Dakota:
Bruce Mc Vay Head Mar 45 Iowa
Ruth J Mc Vay Wife Mar 34 South Dakota
Margaret E Mc Vay Daur 6 South Dakota
Ruth L Mc Vay Daur 5 South Dakota

I'm not sure if the children were from Bruce and Ruth or if perhaps Bruce had married previousl;y.
__________

We see them again in 1920, living at De Smet, Kingsbury, South Dakota:
Bruce McVay Head Mar 54 Superintendent City School Iowa
Ruth McVay Wife 44 South Dakota
Margrette McVay Daur 16 South Dakota
Ruth McVay Daur 14 South Dakota
John McVay Son 9 South Dakota
Katherine McVay Daur 7 South Dakota

In 1925, they were living in South Dakota.
__________

Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Ruth.