In the 1850 US Census for Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, the family of Melvin Castle Barnum is enumerated as follows:
Household #760; Family #779
Barnum, Melvin C; 30; M; Farmer; Real property $400; b. New York
Barnum, Polly; 20; F; b. Canada
Barnum, Amicus; 5; M; b. Michigan
They were living next door to Nancy Crippen, 50, who was probably the mother of Melvin's second wife, Polly Crippen.
Melvin C. died on 29 January 1885 in Island County, but was a resident of King County. No will was found, but the court accepted the petition of Perry E Barnum as the administrator of the estate. The court determined that there were no minors with an interest in the estate and that the sole heirs were Perry E Barnum and his older brother, Americus V Barnum. The last document in the file was an affidavit from Americus naming Perry as his attorney-in-fact for dealing with the estate. Americus stated that he was a resident of Alturas, Modoc County, California and that he was an unmarried male. (This document was dated 7 February 1885).