A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
The Genealogical Record of the Barnum Family shows his given name as Elder.
In the 1850 US Census for Lexington, Greene County, New York the family of Eder Barnum was enumerated as follows:
Dwelling #60; Family #64
Eder Barnum, 70, M, Physician, Real property $3,020, b. Connecticut
Mary Barnum, 72, F, b. Connecticut
Harriet Gardenier, 17, F, b. Connecticut, Attended school within the year
In the 1860 US Census for Lexington, Greene County, New York, Eder Barnum and his wife Mary were enumerated with the family of Eder's niece Mary L. Whispell and her husband Isaac.
The Revolutionary War Pension records of David Hill, husband of Chloe Beebe, provide information about the Beebe and Barnum families. Included in his Pension Application, held at the Allen County Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the following letter written by Eder Barnum to his half sister Chloe Beebe:
Lexington Sept 22, 1862
My dear Sister Chloe,
Your very acceptable letter of August 8th [N.B., probably 1862] was duly received from which I would think you had neither seen not heard from any of your friends for a long time and I think that What little information I am able to give you about them will be as gratifying to you as anything I can say to you at this time. And in the first place I will inform you that your mother and mine died April 4 in the year 1798. My knowledge of your own brothers and sisters is not as good as I wish it was.
Your oldest brother David had a large family of children and moved from Bethel before the death of your mother. I have not seen him but once since he left Bethel and that was at his own house in the town of Jericho [now named Bainbridge], County of Shenango [Chenango], NY. That was about I should think The year 1820 where he died not many years later.
Brother Edmund Beebe died Aug 10, 1810 aged 45 years and his wife Lidie died Sept. 10, 1832 aged 63 years. They never had but one child, a daughter by the name of Rebecca who is now living in Bethel is about 64 years of age. Her husbands name was Clapp who died about a year ago.
The last time I saw Brother John Beebe, he was at my house where I now live in the month of October 1831. He then lived in the town of Paris, Oneida Co., NY where he died March 5th, 1861 aged 91 years. John has had two sons and I believe 5 Daughters none of whom I believe is now living.
Sister Sally Beebe married Seth Abbott by whom she had some children and died many years ago I believe in the state of Vermont.
Rachael was the youngest of your own sisters. She married Hall Platt who formerly lived in Bethel but had moved to Lanesboro [Lanesborough] In Massachusetts where I became acquainted with her husband. I was at their house in the fall of the year of 1801 which was the last time I saw her and I have had any direct information about her except that a few years after that they had removed near Scroom [Schroon] Lake, Essex Co., NY. I think it cannot be a great ways from where you lived in Washington County and I think perhaps you know more about her than I do. I should be very glad to hear whether she is living or not. Please give me in your next any information that you can about her and her family.
My father Ephraim Barnum was born Aug 8th in the year 1733 and died April 17, 1817 aged 83 years 7 months and 19 days.
My half brother Joseph Barnum died aged 58 and I presume you remember the names of all my half sisters that were still at Home when you lived there.
Lucy married a Doctor Bennett, had one son by him who is now a merchant in Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Conn.
Dorcus was never married, was always sickly and died in the year 1821 age 55 Years.
Ruth married Able Lacy, I suppose you know, by whom she had a daughter and a son, who died November 1861 aged 98. Her daughter Irene is about 75 years old and never married. Noah Lacy is a Physician and had two sons who are Physicians.
Brother Noah Starr Barnum died January 17th, 1859 aged 83.
Brother Philo Barnum died Sept 7th 1826 aged 48 years.
My Sister Rebecca was twice married but died without children October 7th, 1831 aged 53 Years.
Which leaves myself and Brother Peter the only living members of that branch of this family. You wanted to know whether I had any children. I answer, we never had any children. A wife with whom I had lived happily with more than 60 years, who was taken from me on the (?) Of March last by death, I trust to a happier world than this where I hope it may be our happy lot to unite with her in singing the Praises of those Who hath loved Jesus Christ And washed us from our sins in his own blood for ever more. I believe Dear Sister that you, myself and Brother Peter are the last living members of a numerous family which may truly be said Belonged to a generation away and which we must shortly all Follow.
I have for several years been so blind that I cannot distinguish the countenances of my most familiar friends or see to talk about but a very little quite feeble by the infirmities of age I am. I tried to employ a son at first to write for me.
My wife and I gave up housekeeping 7 years ago since which we have boarded with Mrs. Mary Whipple who is a niece of my wife and I expect to board with her while I live. I am pleasantly situated among kind friends and by the blessing of a kind providence provided with the means of a comfortable support as long as I can expect to need it in this life and will send you $20 Dollars as a present and token of my friendship for you. I wish to undertake a correspondence with you during the little time we should be permitted to live and I hope I shall hear from you soon. I will write you as soon as I can make it convenient and intend to send you my likeness and that of my wife and will hug/pay You well for your likeness if you will have one taken and send it to me.
I copied the letter you sent me and sent it to Ephraim D. Barnum, son of my brother Noah Starr (Barnum) with request that he would send to my brother Peter and Edmund’s Daughter Rebecca and the rest of our friends in Bethel. I have just received a letter from him that he has done so and Jay B They were all highly pleased to hear that you were yet in the land of the living.
My wife’s name was Mary Shephard, daughter of Dr. Gideon Shephard of Newton with whom I studied the art of healing diseases. She was much respected by all who knew her and for many years she had been a member of the Church in this town for more than 50 years. She was truly as mother as was Israel A friend to the Lord And was called Aunt Polly Barnum by anybody who knew her. I will now close this long letter with thanks to God for the happiness which I enjoy in holding correspondence with a dear Sister whom I long supposed had been numbered with the dead.
Truly,
Eder Barnum
P.S. If this letter reaches you please mention it in your next.
Eder Barnum of Lexington. Will Probated August 6, 1866. Heirs: Henry H. Cole and half-sister, Chloe Blackman; Anna Clark, Rachel Dunning, Ephraim D. Barnum, Rebecca Barnum and Mary Judd, children of deceased brother. (his wife was referred to as deceased). Executor: Ephraim D. Barnum. Witnesses: James W. Kennedy and Isaac T. VanValkenburgh.
He died without male issue.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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