H. Edgar Barnes

Barnes was born in Washington, D.C. on June 28, 1883, to George W. and Lydia (Slee) Barnes. His father was an employee of the federal government.^[1] He attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating from the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1906.^[2]

From 1906 to 1916, Barnes taught courses in political science and business law at Penn while also working as a lawyer. In 1916, he was elected to the Philadelphia Common Council as an Independent Republican. He ran for a seat on the new unicameral Philadelphia City Council in 1919, but was unsuccessful.^[2]

Barnes was the personal attorney of George Howard Earle Jr. and George Howard Earle III and was a director and legal counsel for their Pennsylvania Sugar Company. He advised the younger Earle to run as a Democrat in the 1934 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election.^[2] Shortly after winning, Earle announced that Barnes would serve as secretary of revenue in his cabinet.^[3] He was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on January 16, 1935.^[4]

Barnes resigned effective July 31, 1935 to run in that year's Supreme Court election.^[5] Prior to the election, Justice Alexander Simpson died and Earle appointed Barnes to succeed him until an election could be held. He was sworn in on August 13, 1935.^[6] Pennsylvania Attorney General Charles J. Margiotti ruled that because there were two open seats on the Supreme Court, the top two vote-getters in the 1935 election would be seated on the court. Thus, the winners of the Democratic and Republican primary would each receive a full 21-year term. Barnes easily beat his primary opponent, Michael Musmanno, 215,045 votes to 93,123.^[7]

On September 28, 1940, Barnes entered Hahnemann University Hospital to receive treatment for asthma and bronchitis. While there, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died on October 6, 1940.^[2]