Tallie Stacy Barnes was born in Alexander County, North Carolina, on September 24, 1893. Barnes worked as a drug store clerk in North Wilkesboro until he was drafted into military service for World War I. He was medically discharged in February 1918, without seeing overseas service. After attending pharmacy school in Atlanta, Barnes returned to North Wilkesboro in 1920, where he worked as a pharmacist for the rest of his career. He died in North Wilkesboro on June 4, 1947.