A Family Tree of the BARNUM/BARNHAM Family Worldwide
Newspaper article published in August, 1930: Shortly after he arrived at his post of duty as cashier of the Farmers State Bank last Monday morning, Abel Barnum calmly walked to a rear room of the banking building and attempted suicide by shooting himself with a .32 caliber automatic revolver. He was shortly thereafter taken to the Garrett Hospital where he died the same day, August 25, 1930. He was born Jan. 16, 1865 at the family home just north of town, the son of Abel and Mary Potts Barnum. He married Blanche Bonham Oct. 19, 1909. They had two sons - Rex and Ben. When a young man he began working for the Farmer's State Bank of Albion and in a few years at the age of twenty-five he became the cashier, which position he continued to hold for twenty years until the time of his death. In early childhood he became a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was a member of the Albion Masonic Lodge and the Albion Chamber of Commerce. Besides his wife and sons, he is survived by a half-brother, O. P. Barnum of Fort Wayne. Funeral this afternoon.
