A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
The Barnum Family states that he served throughout the Revolutionary War as a member of Captain Durkee's company, 1st Connecticut Regiment. His service began at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga from the British, in May 1775. According to the DAR application of Louise Barnum Robbins, he served as a Private in Captain Daniel Wheeler's Company, Colonel Benjamin Simond's Regiment of Berkshire County (Massachusetts) Militia from 16 Dec 1776 to 22 Mar 1777. Again, upon short terms of service in 1777 and 1780. He came to Fort Ticonderoga in Dec 1776 and stayed until spring.
Stephen is mentioned in several places in the History of the town of Shoreham, Vermont: from the date of its charter, October 8th, 1761, to the present time. “Stephen Barnum came here from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1784, and moved his family in 1785. He settled on land now owned by Loren Towner; had a large farm; raised a numerous family of children, all of whom except his son Stephen, have removed from the town. He was born in 1757. He was a soldier in the Revolution; came to Ticonderoga the latter part of December, 1776, at the age of 19, with a company of militia, and stayed until the next spring. The soldiers suffered much from the want of comfortable shelter and wholesome food. A part of the time they were compelled to subsist on horse-beef There was much dissatisfaction among the soldiers, with the treatment they received from the officers, who were thought to have been unwilling to share with them in their privations. This occasioned some pilfering by the soldiers, from the better stores, which some of the officers had appropriated to their own use. So great was the dissatisfaction, at one time, that a company of men, headed by young Barnum, paraded with arms in their hands, with the avowed intention to march for home; whereupon they were promised better treatment, and they consented to remain. Mr. Barnum was a deacon of the Congregational Church many years, and died in this place August 24th, 1834, aged 77." "The story is told of Deacon Stephen Barnum, in the Revolution, that he was on guard on Mount Independence at a pile of wood. The commanding General was known to him, and approached him without being challenged, and while praising his gun, got possession of it. The General, after alarming him for his carelessness, restored it on the promise that he would never fail in his duty again, and said he would take a stick or two of the wood. The wood being in hand, the General was bidden to stand, and marched at once to the guardhouse, and detained till the Captain of the Guard chose to come and release him."
From Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution:
Barnum, Stephen, Lanesborough. Private, Capt. David Wheeler's co., Col. Benjamin Simonds's (Berkshire Co.) regt.; enlisted Dec. 16, 1776; discharged March 22, 1777; service, 96 days, at Ticonderoga; enlistment to expire March 15, 1777; also, Capt. Daniel Brown's co.; marched to Meloomscuyck Aug. 14, 1777, on an alarm; service, 6 days; also, Capt. Brown's co., Col. Simonds's regt.; marched on an alarm at Berkshire Oct. 13, 1780; service, 6 days.
The Barnum Family, 1350-1907 shows him as a son of Thomas Barnum (born 1735). The same source gives him a birth year of 1857, an obvious typographical or transcription error. He was a Selectman in Shoreham, Vermont for four years; 1799, 1802, 1805, 1814.
In the 1800 US Census for Shoreham, Addison, Vermont the family of Stephen BARNUM is enumerated as follows:
Pg 82; Ln 6; Barnum, Stephen; 3 free white males to 10; 4 free white males 10 to 16; 1 free white male 16 to 26; 1 free white male 26 to 45; 3 free white females to 10; 2 free white females 16 to 26 and 1 free white female 45 up.
In the 1810 US Census for Shoreham, Addison, Vermont the family of Stephen BARNUM is enumerated as follows:
Pg 162; Barnum, Stephen; 1 free white male to 10; 2 free white males 10 to 16; 2 free white males 16 to 26; 1 free white male 45 up; 2 free white females 10 to 16 and 1 free white female 45 up.
The Independent State of Vermont was constituted on 2 June 1777, and joined the Union as the 14th state on 4 March 1791.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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