Background
George Ingman Barnett was born in 1815 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The son of a Baptist Clergyman.
George Ingman Barnett was born in 1815 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The son of a Baptist Clergyman.
George was educated in local and London schools and later studied Architecture in London, United Kingdom under the late Sir Thomas Hine.
At the age of twenty-five, Barnett left his native land for the United States, and shortly after his arrival settled in St. Louis. For a time he worked as a draftsman, first in the employ of Henry Singleton, later was associated with M. Lewis Clark. After leaving Mr. Clark, Barnett launched his own career in architecture, and during a long and successful practice, won a high professional reputation. His works were numerous and varied, including many of the early public and ecclesiastical buildings in St. Louis, the first of which was the old College Church of St. Xavier, on the erection of which he was associated with Stuart Matthews. He also planned and built several fine homes for noted citizens of that time, one of which was the Henry Shaw mansion at the southeast corner of Locust and 7th St., built in 1850, taken down in 1891, and rebuilt in Shaw's garden. Other large city residences were built by him in Lafayette Square, on Lucas St. and Vandeventer Place. Mr. Barnett's worked were not limited to St. Louis. In Nashville, Tenn., the famous hotel, Maxwell House was designed by him, and the Executive Mansion at Jefferson City, Mo., erected in 1871, was another important building credited to him. In addition he was associated for a brief period after 1868 with Alfred Piquenard on preparation of plans for the Illinois State Capitol.
George had three sons: George D. Barnett, Tom P.Barnett, and Absalom Barnett.