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Joseph Van Clief Karnes was born on a farm in Boone
County, Missouri, in February 1841. From the district schools he
entered the State University in 1877, and was graduated with high
honors in 1862. Immediately thereafter he enrolled himself in
the Harvard Law School, but left it in his first year to accept a
Greek and Latin tutorship in the Missouri University. In 1865,
upon resigning, he was given an A. M. degree. During his
tutorship he had studied law and had been admitted to the bar, and in
August, 1865, he came to Kansas City in company with Henry N. Ess, and
formed the law firm of Karnes & Ess, which continued for
twenty-one years. He is now head of the firm Karnes, New &
Krauthoff.
Few men have done more for Kansas City than
Mr. Karnes. As a member of the School Board, he stood for
progress and non-partisanship, and worked early and late in the
development of Kansas City's magnificent educational system, and the
upbuilding of the great Public Library. As chairman of the
Commercial Club Committee on Municipal Legislation, he has also
labored, and he was also one of the organizers of the Provident
Association. He helped to found the Kansas City Bar Association,
and was its president for three terms, and was also one of the
founders of the Kansas City Law Library.
Mr. Karnes married Miss Mary Crumbaugh, of
Columbia, and they have three children, a son and two daughters.
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