Hoyt Valentine Leonhard lived from 1930 or earlier with his maternal grandparents, Howard Hoyt Barnum and Katherine "Katie" Steele, and later in life adopted their surname as his own. By the time of the 1930 US Census his mother and father were were divorced and he was living with his grandparents. During that census year he was enumerated as Hoyt V. Leonhard. However, his mother died the following year (1931) and he continued to live with his grandparents. At the time of the 1940 census he was still living with them and was enumerated as Hoyt Barnum. In July of 1943 he enlisted in the US Army under that name and retained it until his death.
From the Wise County (Texas) Messenger, Sunday, November 28, 2004: Barnum, Hoyt Valentine, 1917-2004. Graveside service for Hoyt Valentine Barnum, 87, of Decatur was to be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, at Sycamore Cemetery in Decatur. Barnum died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004, in Decatur. Born Aug. 23, 1917, in Pilot Point, he was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and had a career in the aviation industry for over 40 years as a pilot and airplane mechanic. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Edna Earl Barnum and his step-daughters Patsy Ann Barnum and Dolores Johnson-Vaughan. He is survived by relatives Gary Johnson, Lane Johnson, Scot Johnson, Justin Bond, Eric Bond, Harrison Bond, Ava Bond, Brennan and Irina Johnson, Jo Ann and Bill Hanes, Jeannine and Bob Baker and Charles and Pat Johnson.