A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Here is part of an article published in the Brown County World, 10 Dec 1909: John Barnum was about 14 years old when he first saw the spot where Hiawatha stands. He was born in Crawford county in 1843, and married Miss Louisa Maglott Feb. 22, 1866. He served in the Civil War, enlisting in Co. C, 7th Kansas in 1862, when he was 19 years old. They have three sons and two daughters, Frank, Scott and Mart and Mrs. John Loose, and Mrs. Peter Harvey. Scott has a 16 year old boy, P.T. Barnum; Martin one girl, Margaret Luverne, Mr. and Mrs. Loose, two girls, Beulah seven, and Bernice five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have one girl, 14, Vera Allone. John has now one brother, Samuel, residing west of town and one sister, Celinda Peiffer. Elihu and Warren, two other brothers, having moved to Nebraska in the 70's where they both died. his brother Samuel married Miss Luella Norris, daughter of Absalom and Naomi Norris of Hiawatha August 12, 1877. They reside four miles west of Hiawatha, have some children and several hundred acres of land out there and are doing well. John is a citizen of Hiawatha and resides in a splendid house, which cost him $2,000 when building material and labor were cheap. (Note: $2,000 in 1900 is the equivalent of $40,858 in 2001 dollars). He owns there 12 acres of the old homestead and around him his three sons have good houses, nice homes and all doing well, all on the old homestead too. John Barnum having plenty with which to live upon with ease, retired long ago, but he is entitled to all he has, and deserves a rest. He passed through all the trials and pinching times of the pioneer settler, and worked hard in early life. Once he was a tenent [sic], living in the little old cabin on the Capt. Schilling place. Once he lived a while at his brother's Waren's place, The R.C> Chase place now. He has seen the county grow from a wild prairie, with a score of settlers to a rich, thickly settled county, and has watched the building of every house in Hiawatha. There is no better citizen inside our limits, today. Honest, upright, peaceable and quiet, respectable and prized by all good people. He and Mrs. Barnum, now pass the days in a fine home surrounded with comfort and plenty, cheered by the oft presence of their children and grandchildren, both looking cheerful and young of their age. Rachel Barnum the widow of Seth resides close by, and occupies the old homestead house. She is young apparently, vivacious and active. Cheerful and enjoying life and while her pssessions are not extensive, yet she thrives upon the income of 200 acres of rich Brown county land, elsewhere. She is independent, and apparently happy, and a good woman. The Barnums are a good class of people all round, industrious and square, good citizens. What an interesting story John Barnum could relate, running over the 53 years that have passed since he left the old Pennsylvania home, when only 13 years of age, with all the incidents, and scores of pleassures and misfortunes, that came across his way, in that long active period of his life. The old homestead of 1857 has made vast changes in 52 years which have elapsed since, and the place is scarcely recognized now by the old settlers, but what would bring it back to vivid recollection would be one of those familiar and hearty ha, ha, ha's of Uncle Seth (referring here to John's father Elijah Seth Barnum).
What later became the 7th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry (John Barnum's unit) was formed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas on 28 Oct 1861 as the 1st Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, with 902 officers and men. Charles R. Jennison was appointed Colonel and for the first 7 months the 7th was known as “Jennison’s Regiment". The first weapons issued from Fort Leavenworth were Belgian muskets, Austrian carbines whose hammers were prone to break when fired, and cartridges that were too small to be used. Also issued were obsolete Dragoon pistols mounted on temporary stocks and other makeshift weapons. On 29 Oct 1861 complete uniforms were issued. A few days later horses were issued and sorted by color. Companies A, B, H, were issued Sharps Carbines, Colt Navy revolvers and sabers. The other companies had to make do with what they had. It wasn’t until the end of 1863 that the personal intervention of General Rosecrans led to the issuance of Colt Revolving Rifles for the remaining 7 companies. In November 1864 the regiment was finally issued Spencer Carbines. Company "C" was made up of men from Leavenworth, Brown and Doniphan counties. Private John Barnum, of Hiawatha, Kansas, was promoted to Corporal upon reenlistment as a veteran on 15 Mar 1862. He again reenlisted on 1 Jan 1864 and mustered out with the entire regiment on 29 September of that year.
According to official records, Company "C" had the dubious honor of having the first man of the regiment killed in action. James McNamara was shot and killed by the Provost Guard at Fort Leavenworth, on 25 Sep 1861. The circumstances of his death are not known.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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