Raymond Griffin Barnett, who had the well earned title of captain of the American army in the World war and who is now engaged in the practice of law in Kansas City, was born at Carthage, Hancock county, Illinois, October 8, 1882, and is a son of Fred P. and Adele (Griffin) Barnett, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Illinois. The father went from this state to Iowa and afterward returned to Kansas City. He is by profession a court reporter and is now the vice president of the Shorthand Reporting Company, with offices in the Temple building of Kansas City. To him and his wife were born three children but one has passed away, the surviving daughter being Edith Barnett.
After completing a course in the Central high school of Kansas City, Raymond G. Barnett attended the University of Missouri and then went to the coast, where he entered the Stanford University of California, winning his Bachelor of Arts degree as a member of the class of 1905. Subsequently he studied law there and in 1906 was admitted to the bar of Kansas City, where he has since engaged in practice. He is thorough in his work, energetic in his tasks and capable in handling the legal business entrusted to his care. His professional career is characterized by the thorough preparation of his cases and he is preeminently a business man’s lawyer. He belongs to the Kansas City and Missouri State Bar Associations.
In 1918 Mr. Barnett was married to Miss Martha Jones, daughter of R. B. Jones, a prominent insurance man of Kansas City. Mr. Barnett is well known in the leading social organizations, belonging to the Mission Hills Country Club, to the Knife and Fork Club, to the City Club and also to the Chamber of Commerce. He is now active in politics as a supporter of the republican party. He was formerly identified with the progressive party and was its nominee for the office of prosecuting attorney of Jackson county but though he ran ahead of his republican opponent he was defeated. This is the only political office which he has ever sought, his attention being concentrated upon his professional duties. He was a partner of Hale H. Cook from 1909 until 1917, when following America’s entrance into the great World war he went to the first officers’ training camp at Camp Funston and there won a first lieutenancy in the infantry branch of the Eighty-ninth Division. He served as aid-de-camp to General Wynn and, being sent overseas, served in France on the Toul sector. Later he was ordered to return to the United States, was raised to the rank of captain and assigned to the Nineteenth Division, being on duty at Camp Dodge with Company A of the Second Infantry until discharged on the 30th of November, 1918, following the signing of the armistice. He then returned to Kansas City to resume the active work of his profession and enjoy a well earned reputation as a lawyer of high ideals and fine practice. He possesses in high measure a sense of civic duty and right and nothing can swerve him from the loyal support of his honest convictions.