A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
From Portrait and biographical record of Johnson and Pettis Counties, Missouri Chapman Pub. Co., pub. 1895, p. 513: Enoch Barnum. A resident of Johnson County since the summer of 1868, Mr. Barnum has a wide acquaintance throughout this section of the state. He came to Warrensburg in 1881, and engaged in various lines of business until 1890, since which time he has been living in retirement. As a business man he has been more than ordinarily successful, and the fact that, beginning with limited means, he has gained prosperity, proves that he possesses energy, perseverance and wise judgment.
In Schoharie County, NY, the subject of this notice was born August 12, 1838, being the second child of Lucas and Nancy C. (McCollum) Barnum, natives of New York State. When three months old he was taken by his parents to near Binghamton, NY, where his mother died in 1843, and his father in April,1872, at the age of sixty-four years. The latter was a carpenter by trade and a farmer by occupation, but after Enoch was old enough to superintend the home place, he devoted his attention to his trade, in this way having two sources of income for the support of his family. Reared to manhood upon his father’s farm, our subject was during the winter months a pupil of the district schools of Broome County, NY In the fall of 1860, he went to Pennsylvania and there spent the winter. At the opening of the Civil War, in 1861, he enlisted in Company "C", First Pennsylvania Rifles (better known as “Old Buck Tails” on account of their custom of wearing deer tails in their hats). The date of his enlistment was April 23, 1861, and he remained in active service until May 1864, participating in the many engagements in which his company took part until he received a gunshot wound in the thigh and shoulder, June 6, 1862, at Harrisonburg, in the Shenandoah Valley. Afterward he was detailed as Commissary Sergeant, and one year later was given full charge of the cooking. He superintended one hundred and twenty men in the cook house, and provided food for five thousand men, filling the position satisfactorily in connection with his commissary duties until his discharge from the service. On retiring from the army Mr. Barnum returned to his father’s home in New York, where shortly afterward he was stricken with fever and for several months was very ill. As soon as he regained his health he went to Ohio and engaged in the sale of Dr. Gunn’s famous publications. In the fall of 1865, he came to Missouri with the intention of investing in land, and after prospecting here for a time he returned to New York. In the spring of 1866, he removed to Camden County, Missouri, where he entered a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres. making it his home until the summer of 1868. From Camden County, he came to Johnson County, where he purchased a farm and followed general agricultural pursuits for seven years. Later, renting his land, he went to Chilhowee, this county, where he entered the general mercantile business with Messrs. Young, his brothers-in-law. Four years were spent in that business at Chilhowee, the returns being profitable and the trade covering a wide scope of county surrounding the town. The marriage of Mr. Barnum which occurred in 1862, united him with Miss Hannah, daughter of Hosea and Sallie J. Young, natives of New York and Vermont respectively. Unto them were born two sons and one daughter, namely: Marion Y., a prominent business man of Warrensburg; Sallie A., a charming young lady who is very popular in the social circles of this city; and Lucas H. E., who is a student in the State Normal School at Warrensburg. Mrs. Barnum was a most estimable lady, a devoted wife and mother, and her death, April 20, 1894, was mourned by all who knew her. In the work of the Methodist Church, Mr. Barnum has for years taken a leading part. He is president of the Board of Trustees, also Church Treasurer and one of the collectors. Socially he is identified with Corinthian Lodge No 265, AF & M, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Grover Post No. 78, GAR. In politics he is a Republican.
From his Missouri death certificate: Enoch Barnum died December 7, 1915 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Widowed, he was a merchant retired for 15 years. His birth date is given as August 12, 1836 — two years earlier than other sources. Birthplace: New York. Buried in Mt. Washington Cemetery, Kansas City, MO. Informant: M. Y. Barnum (son Marion Young Barnum).
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
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