Bio
Will Croft Barnes (June 21, 1858 – December 17, 1936) was a U.S. Army Signal Corps private recognized for his bravery during the battle at Fort Apache, Arizona Territory, on September 11, 1881. When Geronimo’s warriors attacked Fort Apache, Barnes escaped and rode to Fort Thomas to bring reinforcements, which helped save the fort. For his gallantry, he received the Medal of Honor on November 8, 1882.
Born in San Francisco, California, Barnes joined the Army in 1879 and was discharged as a sergeant in 1883. After his military service, he became a rancher and served in the Arizona Territory legislature. He also authored several books, including Arizona Place Names and worked as an associate editor for the Arizona Historical Review.
In 1907, Barnes began a 21-year career with the U.S. Forest Service. During this time, he helped preserve the Texas Longhorn cattle breed by rounding up the last of them and shipping them to Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Barnes died in Phoenix, Arizona, and is buried with his wife, Elizabeth Talbot, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. His contributions as a soldier, writer, and conservationist left a lasting impact on Arizona and the American West.
