Justus D. Barnes Peggotty in "David Copperfield", the earliest known film adaption of the 1850 novel by Charles Dickens. He also played supporting roles in "Nicholas Nickleby" (1912), "Aurora Floyd" (1912), and "A Dog of Flanders" (1914). In 1917, he was released from the Thanhouser Company due to the company's financial issues. Barnes made his final onscreen appearance for the Edison Studio in "Cy Whittaker's Ward", in 1917. After retiring from acting, Barnes moved to Weedsport, New York where he worked as a milkman. He later owned a cigar store. Barnes died on February 6, 1946 in Weedsport at the age of 83.
Nicholas Nickleby including Nicholas's malevolent Uncle Ralph, and the villainous Wackford Squeers, who operates an abusive all-boys boarding school at which Nicholas temporarily serves as a tutor. Nicholas Nickleby's father dies unexpectedly after losing all of his money in a poor investment. Nicholas, his mother and his younger sister, Kate, are forced to give up their comfortable lifestyle in Devonshire and travel to London to seek the aid of their only relative, Nicholas's uncle, Ralph Nickleby. Ralph, a cold and ruthless businessman, has no desire to help his destitute relations and hates Nicholas, who reminds him of his dead brother, on sight.