Staff Sargent Thomas Robert Carnes was born on August 11th, 1918, in Pontotoc, Mississippi. His parents were Ruth Hickman Carnes (1886-1983) and Elmer E Carnes (1887- 1933). His family was born and raised in Thaxton, Mississippi.
Thomas’s father, Elmer Carnes, was born in Thaxton on January 24th, 1887. He worked on the family-owned farm. His father was Thomas “Tom” Carnes (1838-1914) from Alabama and his mother was Rosey B. Carnes (1850-1906) from Mississippi. The two married on the February 1st, 1883. Tom Carnes served on the side of the Confederates during the Civil War in the 9th Regiment of Alabama. He was a private. Elmer had serval siblings, including William Howard Carnes, Ovella Conlee Carnes, Dora Earnest Carnes, Mary D. Carnes, William E. Carnes, Cordelia Carnes, Edward Carnes, and Margret Carnes. They all helped around the farm. His mother, Ruth Hickman Carnes, was born on June 12th, 1886. She worked alongside her husband on their family farm. Her parents were Flavel M Ferrel (March 4th, 1845-January 18th, 1910)7and Ophelia “Cordelia” Ann Ferrel (September 20th, 1863- February 1st, 1939). She had five siblings: Dixie, Frank, Fred, Roy, and Guy Ferrel. |
Thomas had two sisters and three younger brothers. Marion Carnes was his older sister; she was born in 1914.
His youngest sibling was Rachel Nix Carnes (March 7th, 1926-October 26th, 2012). His older brother Shirley Howard Carnes was born on March 16th, 1920. He registered for the draft on July 1st, 1941. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion. At the time he was 5' 8" and weighed 140lbs. One of his younger brothers, James Reeves Carnes, was born on October 2nd, 1923, and died on July 11th, 1977. At the time he registered for the draft, he worked on his family’s farm. He registered on June 30th, 1942. At the time of registering, he was described as having brown hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion. He was 5' 9" and weighed 136lbs. He was enlisted into the Navy. Reeves had a wife named Kathryn Strube Carnes. When he came back from the war, he and his family worked on the family farm. |
Thomas’s last brother, Frank Ferrel Carnes, was born on December 23rd, 1921, and he was a student at Wood Junior College until he was drafted on February 16th, 1942. At the time of registering for the draft he was described as having brown hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion. He was 5' 7" and weighed 160lbs. Frank entered the war on May 26th, 1942, he was assigned to the 460th Bomb Group and the 761st Bomb Squad. During his time in the war, he completed 50 combat missions. When he returned to the United States, he went to college. First, he attended Mississippi College and received a Bachelor of Arts. Then, he went to the University of Mississippi and received a Master of Arts. Finally, when he finished his education at Vanderbilt University, he received a Bachelor of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy. Frank then became a Professor for Cumberland College where he taught English, Psychology, Philosophy, and Religion classes. He worked for Cumberland from 1954 to 1989. Frank went on to serve five more years as a Professor at Eastern Kentucky University. Frank eventually got married to Savannah Barba Blanton and had three children: Frank Ferrel Carnes Jr, Catharine Carnes Renfro, and Robert Garland Carnes. He also had five grandchildren: Aaron Ferrel, William Joseph Renfro, Zachary Ryan, Kaitlyn Brooks Carnes, and finally Simon Leonard Renfro IV. He died on January 14th, 2014.
|