Biographical sketch extracted from:

Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana.
Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 1016-1017.

WILLIAM CARNES, County Commissioner of Wells County, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, the date of his birth being June 29, 1828. His parents, John and Ann (Bell) Carnes, were natives of Ireland, where they were reared and married. On coming to America they lived for a time in New York, and from there moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A few years later they removed to Guernsey County, Ohio, where they lived till their death, the mother dying in 1838, and the father in 1857. William was reared in his native county, and was early in life inured to hard work. His youth was spent in assisting his father clear his farm, and after that had been cleared he assisted in clearing several other farms. September 28, 1854, he married Miss Hannah Booth who was born and reared in Guernsey County, Ohio, a daughter of Thomas and Susannah (Latherow) Booth. Of the eleven children born to this union ten yet survive: Susan, wife of John O. Houser, of Poneto, Wells County; Robert F. married Eliza Eleanor Speece; Sarah Elizabeth, wife of Jasper Merriman, of Wells County; John married Eliza E. Harris; Thomas married Hannah Miller; William Henry, George W., Oscar, Mary Etta and Myrtle Alice. La Fayette is deceased. In the month following his marriage Mr. Carnes came to Wells County, Indiana, and located on a tract of eighty-four acres in Chester Township, which he had previously purchased, and at once began clearing a space, and with the timber thus cut down he built his cabin. The country was in a state of nature, not even a road leading to his place, he being obliged to cut one before getting to it. His wife with her parents followed soon after, and by the time they arrived he had his new home ready for occupancy. He has by hard toil and persevering energy made from his pioneer home in the wilderness, a well-improved farm, having now a comfortable and commodious dwelling and good farm buildings, and the surroundings of the place show the owner to be a thorough practical farmer. His farm consists of 120 acres, of which about ninety acres is cleared and brought under cultivation. Politically Mr. Carnes is a Democrat. In 1857 he was elected road supervisor, and since then has served in that capacity eight or ten times. He is the only man in Chester Township who has held the office of road superintendent. At the November election of 1884 he was elected commissioner of Wells County, and during his term of office more work of a public nature has been done than has been accomplished in any term before. Since Mr. Carnes has held this office, two bridges have been built in Union, one in Liberty and one in Nottingham Township, and an abutment has been built to the bridge across the Salamonie River in Jackson Township. The new bridge at Bluffton is the largest and finest in the county, and one of the best to be found throughout the State of Indiana.