Brother Allen Robert Barnett was born the third child of Brother R. L. and Billie Barnett on August 30, 1956 at Midland, Texas. Allen’s boyhood years were spent growing up with his siblings, Carolyn Ruth and Larry, in the city of Midland and the country setting of Cottonwood, Texas. Cottonwood quickly became and remains the place he considers home.

Allen started school in Midland, Texas in 1962 and transferred to Cross Plains Elementary in 1965. He returned to Midland to attend San Jacinto Junior High from 1968 through 1969. He again transferred to Cross Plains to attend High School from 1970 through 1973.

He and Barbara Ann Carroll were united in marriage at Cottonwood Baptist Church on March 7, 1979. They have three children, Danny Michael, Jeremy Allen, and Lindsey Virginia. They currently have three grandchildren with two more on the way.

Allen’s father, an automotive mechanic from his time of serving in the European Theater of World War II until retirement, taught Allen mechanic basics at an early age. At the tender age of sixteen he took a summer job on an oil field casing pulling rig. The next 23 years were spent working various positions in the oil fields of Texas, New Mexico, California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Louisiana.

When the oil business slowed he completed his GED and attended night classes at Cisco Junior College in Abilene. After receiving an Associate Degree in Maintenance Mechanics, he opened his own business, in home and appliance repair and quickly earned a stellar reputation for his skills and integrity.

Brother Barnett followed in his father’s footsteps when he was initiated an Entered Apprentice Mason at Cross Plains Lodge on August 10, 1987. He was passed to Fellowcraft on September 12th and raised to Master Mason on October 20th of the same year. He has served in many Lodge stations and places and served as Master of the Lodge in 1990-91. He is the quintessential Mason who consistently demonstrates the principles of brotherhood, and was duly elected to receive the Golden Trowel Award by unanimous vote of the Lodge on April 3, 2003.