City: Memphis
CARNES, Samuel T., business man; born in Hardeman Co., Tenn., May 22, 1850; Irish descent; son of James A. and Elizabeth M. (Jones) CARNES; received common school education; at age of sixteen years he entered employ of the Savings Bank of Memphis as “runner” and was later promoted to collection clerk, and still later to individual bookkeeper, in 1868 he became bookkeeper for Copperwaithe, Chapman & Co., dealers in books, stationery, etc.; a year later he entered employ of cotton firm of Gage & Fisher; he was next employed by G. Falls & Co., cotton buyers, but returned to Gage & Fisher at end of one year; in 1873 he left firm to enter business for himself, buying out a book and stationery firm, sold out same in 1874 and accepted a position as bookkeeper for Hill, Fontaine & Co., grocers and cotton factors, in Memphis, Tenn.; in July 1877, he entered employ of Clark, Johnson & Co., as bookkeeper, and in fall of 1878 he secured the right from the Bell Telephone Company for an exchange in Memphis, and the following year began its construction; in 1882 he organized the Memphis Telephone Company, and was made president and general manager of that company; in 1883 he organized an electric company under the Brush patent incorporated as the Brush Electric Light and Power Company of Memphis, and was elected president and general manager of this company; in 1884 the telephone exchange was sold, and the Brush Light and Power Company was consolidated with the Memphis Thompson-Houston Co., and the Memphis Light and Power Co., of which he was the president and general manager; this company sold out in 1901 and was later consolidated with the Equitable Gas and Electric Co., the two being merged into what is now the Consolidated Gas and Electric Co., Memphis, Tenn.; in 1874 he became connected with the Chickasaw Guards and from 1878 to 1891 was captain of this company, in 1892 he was made brigadier-general and was placed in command of state troops, resigned 1896; he was in command for a year (1891-1892) in the famous coal creek riots, going there without instructions and acting on his own judgment; when the Spanish-American war broke out he was first to organize a regiment, the officers of which were all drawn from state militia, etc., but owing to political differences with Gov. R. L. TAYLOR, his regiment was not accepted; in 1902 he organized Memphis Asphalt & Paving Co.; in 1898 he organized company and built electric light and street railway plant and bought gas plant in Jackson, Miss.; married Feb. 3, 1881; member of DeSoto Lodge No. 229, F. & A. M., and is a Knight Templar and member of Episcopal church.
