Alfred Smith Barnes

While in Hartford, he successfully published books aimed at the educational market by Charles Davies on mathematics and Emma Willard on history,[3] in a joint venture between the three of them.

[4] A. S. Barnes was a family operation: eventually, his five sons, his brother and one nephew were connected to the firm,[3] which became the leading publisher of textbooks in the United States, as well as issuing general interest books on a wide range of subjects.

He supported academies and churches in Brooklyn as well,[3] and contributed $3000 towards the construction of a building for the Long Island Historical Society.

[1] A. S. Barnes published textbooks under the "Library for Teachers" imprint: one of their earliest best sellers was Clark's English Grammar.

The company also put out Watson's Readers, Davies' Arithmetic, Monteith's Geography and the National Series of Standard Science Books.

[4] The company also published trade magazines (Education Bulletin, National Teacher's Weekly, International Review), manufactured furniture for schools, and sold classroom supplies.

[4] The company incorporated in 1909, in order to provide fresh working capital, needed after acquiring another publishing firm.