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Charles
H Barney has practiced hospital pharmacy in critical care settings for 29
years - in a burn treatment center, and, for the last 20 years, at Roswell
Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo NY. He graduated from the University of
Buffalo in 1977 and currently lives in East Amherst, NY. He is married and
has two children. He is a photographer, a horseback rider, a nascent
military historian, and to his family’s chagrin, an enthusiastic
herpetologist.
He spent the first 10 years of his life in Dannemora, NY where his father,
also Charles, was a Corrections Officer at Clinton State Prison. In 1963 he
moved to Rouses Point, NY when his father passed away. He was no stranger to
the Village, since both sides of his family have resided in the area for
many generations. He considers Rouses Point home, where his father grew up,
graduating from Rouses Point high school in 1932.
The senior Mr. Barney graduated from The New York State Police School in
1933 and was a police officer for the Delaware and Hudson Railroad and the
Village of Rouses Point. He enlisted in the Army before the U.S. entered
WWII. He left the Army after the War as a Captain in the Corps of Military
Police, returning home to the North Country. He had served at many bases
throughout the United States prior to the U.S. entry in the War and then in
Europe in the Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge, and, for a number of
years, in post-war Germany.
The younger Charles claims a passion for the history of the North Country
and also, of WWII.. He maintains an extensive collection of books, maps, and
photographs of the Rouses Point area and the European Theatre of WW II.
Fortunately, Captain Barney
left behind an extensive collection of photographs and newspaper articles
from his travels and life in Rouses Point in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. The
story of Fort Montgomery was well-documented in his photos and recollections
of Village life. No visit to Rouses Point was complete without Captain
Barney taking his young son to the remains of the Fort.
The parade ground had been the focal point of many family picnics and
evening walks. It’s nearly incorrupt structure was a magnet for him and his
young friends in the 20s and 30s, documented in pictorial records. In the
early 60s, when his son became old enough, the younger Charles could not
contain his excitement when he knew a trip to the Fort was to take place. He
knew he was going to observe and participate in “target practice”. Captain
Barney would bring his Colt .38 Police Special and, if no one was at the
Fort, he would set up targets on the earthen walls and proceed to put on a
demonstration of considerable accuracy, holding the revolver in one hand
with his other arm and hand on his hip – the firing stance favored by the
Army. There are photos of him at the Fort, using the Military Police
textbook stance. This is the first public forum to let it be known, the
younger Charles was always allowed to fire a few shots.
There are many opinions regarding the Fort’s demolition. Captain Barney’s
was not neutral or unspoken. He felt that the 1936 demolition of the Fort
was demoralizing to the close-knit Village community, where he was laid to
rest.
Publisher note: Charlie Barney's
wonderful photos can be found on the pages of America's Historic Lakes and
in our Fort Montgomery
books. We're very pleased to be able to share these very special images
with the world. [JPM]
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