A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
From The Dalles Chronicle, The Dalles, Oregon, 1939: Early Biography of the Masiker, Price Families. The following biographical sketch of noted pioneer families of north central Oregon was read at the recent reunion of the Old Wasco County Pioneer Association by Captain A. J. Price, new president of the organization. "As my mother was married twice, it is necessary to write the biography of the Masiker-Price family as one. Palmyra Eliza Trumble was born in the State of New York in 1830. Solomon and Eluna? [the 1850 US Census says Mariah] Trumble were her parents. She had three brothers, and one sister. I will say here, that Sylvester Pennoyer, at one time governor of the State of Oregon, when a small boy, lived just across the road from the Trumble home, and played, and went to school with the Trumble children. When Mother was 12 years old, the family moved to Illinois. When she was past 17 years old she was married to George Masiker, whose people also came from New York. In the spring of 1852 they, with three small children, William, Esther and Charley, started for Oregon. In 1851 her father, two brothers, her sister and husband, their two children and a cousin of Mother's started across the plains. Her father died on the Platte river, her sister died on the Snake River, and one brother died in California just as he got there. As my mother's train nooned one day on the Platte, she read her Father's epitaph on the shoulder blade of a buffalo, the first she knew of his death. Most of the emigrants that the Masikers were with died of cholera, and being delayed by sickness and death, it was late in the season when the remaining ten wagons reeached Fort Box Elder, Utah. Now called Brigham City. They wintered there and arrived at Lafayette, Oregon, on July 4th, 1853. They lived near Fort Yamhill till 1860.
"While there two children were born, Elmyra and Edwin; and Geroge was born in 1861 near Dufur. Edwin died when about a year old. In 1860 they moved east of the mountains, living on Fifteen Mile Creek until the spring of 1862, when they crossed the Deschutes, taking up a claim at Sand Spring, later known as Price's Station, now called Poplar Grove. The Graham family had lived at the mouth of the Deschutes in the fall of '59, so the Masikers were the second settlers in what is now Sherman County. Martyn was born May 22, 1863, being the first [Euro-American] boy born in what is now Sherman County. Mr. Masiker died in 1863 and is buried on the old place.
"My father, Samuel Price, was born in Ohio in 1834 and when ten years old went to iowa, and later to Missouri. And in 1860 came to Oregon. In those days most of the emigrants went as far as they could, or at least to the Willamette Valley. But Dad left the train at Tygh Valley and came to Fifteen Mile Creek, and worked some time for Horace Parker at a saw mill on Ramsey Creek. My father was working for Mr. Masiker at Sand Spring when Mr. Masiker died in 1863, and in the fall of 1864 he and the widow were married. I was born at the mouth of Dry Creek, near where Dufur is now, on February 3, 1866. They spent the winter there on account of the coming event. They soon moved back to Sand Spring. They raised stock, and ran a stage station for many years. In 1883 they sold out and moved to Columbus, Washington. Afterward they lived in Yakima, Kennewick, Hood River and, in 1907, they moved to Grants Pass where Mother died at the age of 85, and Dad at the age of 87.
"William W. Masiker, the oldest son, married Laura Henderson of Columbus, [present day Maryhill] Washington. They lived in the John Day country, Niger Hollow, Columbus, Kennewick, Elk and Spokane, Washington. He died there and is buried at Maryhill. His widow and a son and daughter survive him.
"Esther [Masiker] married Jesse Imbler, and lived many years in Grande Ronde Valley. They also lived at Hood River and Ashland, where they died and are buried.
"Charley [Masiker] married Jennie Parish, who died within a year. In 1878 he married Mary Henderson, of Columbus, Washington. They lived in the John Day country, Baker and Hood River. And, also, his last eight years he spent at Elmira, Oregon where he died December 24, 1935, and is buried at Hood River. His living children are Roy, of Hood River; May Schiller, of Eugene; and Vic Chuntlu, of Portland. His wife is still living.
"Elmyra married Henry Barnum, their home being the Barnum Ranch near Moro where Moro is now located. Elvin, Ladru, and Art Barnum and Mrs. Lou Peetz are their living children. Henry Barnum died in 1884. Later Elmyra married Allie West. They lived in Sherman County, and later moved to Otis, Oregon. Three girls were born to them, Echo, Hazel and Leola. Elmyra went to Virginia and died there in 1923 and is buried beside Mr. Barnum here in the Odd Fellows Cemetery.
"George [Masiker] died at Monument, Oregon, when he was 19 years old.
"Martyn [Masiker] started out for himself when quite young, going first to the John Day country, then to Drewsey, Oregon. There he married Ollie Howard. Their only son, Vern, died when about two years old. They separated soon after. He lived in Hood River Valley for a while, and in 1907 went to Grants Pass. There he married Mrs. Alminnie Rymer who died several years later. About four years ago he married Mrs. Mary King. They still live at Grants Pass.
"After the old folks moved to Columbus, I went to school there in the winter and rode the range in the summer time. In about 1885 I went to the Big Bend country and rode the range there for C.I. Helm for five years. In 1889 I married Alice Waterbury. I was Captain of the Grants Ferry in 1893 and 1894. Our daughter Lila was born there [Grant, between Rufus and Biggs, Oregon]. When she was a baby I said I would not take a million dollars for her, or give fifteen cents for any more like her. And that is still true today. I also have lived at Grants, The Dalles, Heppner, Hood River and back to The Dalles where I was Captain of The Dalles Ferry from 1905 till 1917. We then moved to Portland where my wife and I separated. I was employed at the First National Bank of The Dalles for eleven years. In 1925 I married Mrs. Nina Griswold, and in 1930 we moved to Skamania, Washington where we still live.
"Martyn and I are the only living members of the original family. Father and Mother were very religious. They were members of the Methodist church. I have a five generation picture of Mother with the Imbler relatives. Martyn and I spent Christmas 1938 together at Grants Pass, Oregon, the first Christmas we were together since 1879 - 59 years."
A. J. [Jay] Price and his half-brother Carson Charlie Masiker wrote several pieces, forthcoming, about north central Oregon. Sand Spring is on Highway 206 west of Wasco, about mile post 8 or 9, in a grove of poplar and cottonwood trees. Jay Price died at 91 years of age in Vancouver, WA. He was born February 3, 1866 near Dufur.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
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