Frances Barnum, b. November 29, 1800, married Andrew McLaughlin who was employed by her father, David Barnum. Upon David's death in 1844 Andrew took over ownership of the Barnum Hotel in partnership with Zenus Barnum, a first cousin of his wife.
From Scharf, J. T. (1881). History of Baltimore City and County, from the earliest period to the present day: Including biographical sketches of their representative men. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts: The foundation of "Barnum's City Hotel", on the southwest corner of Fayette and Calvert Streets, was laid in 1825 by Messrs. D. Barnum, W. Shipley, and J. Philips, Jr. In the Federal Gazette for Sept. 11, 1826, it is announced that "Mr. Barnum will accommodate the Philadelphia volunteer company of Washington Blues at his hotel, although it is not quite finished". On the 27th of September, 1826, Mr. Barnum was in complete possession, and was enabled to render his guests so comfortable that several were induced to extend their stay in the city for days and weeks instead of passing rapidly through it. The basement is of granite from the Susquehanna, near Port Deposit, and the front appointments of this story were originally used as a post-office. On Friday, May 10, 1844, David Barnum died, in the seventy-fourth year of his age; the funeral took place from the hotel on the Monday following. In the spring of 1848 an important addition was made, extending from the original termination of the hotel on Fayette Street one hundred and thirty-five feet westwardly. In 1855, by the withdrawal of Zenus Barnum from the firm, Andrew McLaughlin became sole proprietor, and so remained until his death, on the 29th of January, 1863. Mr. Zenus Barnum then for a short time resumed control of the house as administrator, but in 1865 was succeeded in the management by Daniel and Joseph Dorsey. On the 15th of December, 1870, the property was sold at auction by Messrs. F. A. Bennett & Co., for three hundred thousand dollars, to Robert E. Fowler and others. It had at that time been for about ten years the subject of litigation, and consequently somewhat neglected, though apparently without any injury to its reputation as a house of entertainment. The present proprietors are Barnum & Co.
In the 1850 US Census for Baltimore Ward 10, Baltimore County, Maryland the family of Andrew McLaughlin was enumerated as follows:
Dwelling #588: Family 688
Andrew McLaughlin, 50, M, Hotel keeper, b. Maryland
Augustus McLaughlin, 30, M, US Navy, b. Maryland
William McLaughlin, 18, M, Clerk, b. Maryland
E. K. McLaughlin, 14, M, b. Maryland, Attended school within the year
Jno. H. McIlhenny, 30, M, Bookkeeper, b. Maryland
Mrs. A. McLaughlin, 22, F, b. Maryland
David B. McLaughlin, 29, M, Physician, b. Maryland
This dwelling was the Barnum Hotel which housed, in addition to this family and that of Andrew's partner Zenus Barnum, 33 others; a total of 45 persons.