A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
John Judson Emil Barnum was born on the John Landers ranch near Mayoworth, Johnson, Wyoming. His parents, Guy Percy Barnum and Franziska Pauline "Fanny" Biesemeyer, settled in the territory before statehood and ran a post office at Barnum in Johnson County. Fanny, the daughter of German immigrants, took in laundry and included among her clients local desperadoes from the Hole-in-the Wall gang. Laundry would be dropped off under the cover of darkness and picked up with the mail the following night. Never a complaint.
John Served in WWI, as a member of the 355th Nebraska Regiment, Company "D", Military Police.
He was married on 17 February 1933, in Harrison, Nebraska, to Lula May (Simmons) Lynch-Kissick. During World War II, he took his family to Arkansas and eked out a living along the White River, sometimes gambling, sometimes working at whatever he could scavenge. John and Lula did not remain in Arkansas. In the late 1940s they returned to Wyoming, where John and several others in the family found jobs on the construction of the Kortes Dam. John had an immense canvas tent salvaged from his war days, that served as their home, and a crèche for the grandkids. A smaller tent was pitched to one side for the overflow. During this time Lula became quite ill. She passed away on 5 June 1950.
John was one of the last true mountain men and was a colorful local character around Johnson County, Wyoming. To many, he was known as "Powder River Jack", a hunter, a guide, a story-teller and a song writer, and a kind-hearted rascal who enjoyed a good joke, practical or otherwise. Somewhat reclusive in his later years, he lived and worked much of his life in comparative isolation on various local ranches. During hunting season, he guided hunters into the Big Horn Mountains in search of big game.
John died from pneumonia on April Fool's Day – a date that he would probably have chosen for himself if he had any say in the matter.
John’s birthplace is often given as Barnum, Wyoming, which is where he lived, but by his own written statement he was born on the John Landers ranch near Mayoworth.
Descendant Vernon Paul writes: Before we moved to Casper, I was set to attend school in Mayoworth, population 5. With my brothers, we would have made it 8 – at least during week days. We lived on the Running W ranch, owned by Clark Condit. I doubt there are many left, if any, other than my Dad, me, and my younger brother, who remember John. If any of his sister’s family are still around, they might have some recollection. No other family, just us step-kids.
Vern Paul, a step-grandson of J.J.E. Barnum, has this to say about his death: John and I shared the same room in my parent’s home. We had cots in opposite corners. The day he died, he got up, walked over to my bed, sat down, and died. I was 15 at the time and well shook up by the experience. I still miss him. He was the only granddad I really knew. John died in Mills, Natrona Co., Wyoming. He was pronounce dead on arrival at Memorial Hospital in Casper, and was buried in Casper. Our house, where he died, was at 418 First Street in Mills.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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