Clarence Alfred Barnes (August 28, 1882 – May 26, 1970) was an American politician who served as

attorney general of Massachusetts The Massachusetts attorney general is an elected Constitution of Massachusetts, constitutionally defined executive officer of the Massachusetts government. The officeholder is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Massachusetts, Com ...

from 1945 to 1949.

Early life

Barnes attended Chauncey Hall School,

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, and

Yale Law School Yale Law School (YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824. The 2020–21 acceptance rate was 4%, the lowest of any law school in the United ...

. In 1904 he was captain of the

Yale Bulldogs baseball The Yale Bulldogs baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. The team is a member of the Ivy League, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Divis ...

team. He had four children with his first wife, Helen V. Long. His oldest son Clare Barnes Jr. was an advertising executive who published a best-selling series of picture books.(19 January 2006)
Fair price, good service, & plenty of laughs
, ''

The Martha's Vineyard Times ''The Martha's Vineyard Times'' is a weekly community newspaper on Martha's Vineyard, an island seven miles off the coast of southeastern Massachusetts. The Island's six towns have a total year-round population of about 21,000 and a seasonal popu ...

'' In 1927, the 45-year-old Barnes married 18-year-old Doreen Kane. From 1936 to 1940, Barnes was the president of the

Boston Athletic Association The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) is a non-profit dedicated to organized sports, with a focus on running, in the Greater Boston area. The B.A.A. hosts such events as the Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. 5K, the B.A.A. 10K, the B.A.A. Half Mar ...

, organizer of the

Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by eight cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was ins ...

Politics

Barnes political career began in

Mansfield, Massachusetts Mansfield is a New England town, town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2020 Census, the town population is 23,860. Mansfield is 23 miles southwest of Boston and is 22 miles northeast of Providence, Rhode Is ...

, where he served as town counsel and moderator of the

Town meeting Town meeting, also known as an "open town meeting", is a form of local government in which eligible town residents can directly participate in an assembly which determines the governance of their town. Unlike representative town meeting where ...

. From 1912 to 1913, he served as a state representative, and he was a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1917–18. Barnes was the Republican nominee for attorney general in 1938 but lost to incumbent Paul A. Dever. He ran again in 1940, but lost the Republican nomination to Robert T. Bushnell. Barnes was a member of the

Massachusetts Governor's Council The Massachusetts Governor's Council (also known as the Executive Council) is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matterssuch as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutationsto the Governor of Massachusetts. Council ...

from 1943 to 1944. In 1944, he defeated former

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

Francis E. Kelly to become attorney general. Barnes defeated Kelly again in 1946, but lost to him in 1948. He was a candidate for governor in

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

, but lost the nomination to Arthur W. Coolidge. Barnes was also a delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the Republican Party in the United States. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal o ...

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, events related to World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *Janu ...

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

, and

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, ...

. Barnes died on May 26, 1970, at Martha's Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Clarence A. 1882 births 1970 deaths 20th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court Massachusetts attorneys general Members of the Massachusetts Governor's Council Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives People from Mansfield, Massachusetts People from Martha's Vineyard Politicians from Brooklyn Presidents of the Boston Athletic Association Yale College alumni Yale Law School alumni Yale Bulldogs baseball players