Hello: These Barnums are part of the Barnums who settled in Woodland and Carlton Townships. They migrated from Orleans County, NY, to Barry County, arriving as early as the 1830s, some coming and going back and forth until the 1880s or even 1900s. I am descended from Zebulon and Betsey (Ferster/Firster) Barnum,and have specifically tried to trace as many of the descendants of Zebulon's parents as I could. Fredrick Barry (61359 Brittany Drive, Lacombe, LA 70445-2819), in correspondence dated February 8, 1998, has written a book on the Barry family, which contains a chapter dealing with the Barnum ancestry. He has also written an article on the Barnums, which the New England Historic Genealogical Society has agreed to publish some time in the future, detailing the results of his Barnum research. He says the origins of Abel Barnum, born 1750-52 has been confused by two genealogies written near the turn of the 20th century, Noah G. Barnums Genealogical Chart of the Barnum Family, 1517-1904, and Genealogical Record of the Barnum Family, 1912, compiled by Eben Lewis Barnum and Rev. Francis Barnum, S.J. Each record Abel Barnum, born 1750 as the son of Abel, born 1721 or 1703. According to Noah Barnum's book, After the birth of Abel's first son, Zebulon, in 1773, they moved to Ulster Co., NY, where the second son, Isaac, was born in 1775, thence to Cayuga Co., NY, where the remainder of their 14 children were born and raised. In 1805 they began to separate--Zebulon and wife, Abel and wife, Polly, Rachel, Charity and Eunice and their husbands went to Hartland, Niagara County, NY. In 1817, Zebulon and Abel went to Carlton, Orleans Co, NY. In 1835 Zebulon and Abel moved to Carlton Twp., Barry Co, MI, where they died on farms adjoining, the houses not more than 40 rods apart. Israel & John went to Canada about 1812, Edwin unknown, Esther married a Mr. Lewis and lived in Cayuga Co, NY. Abel2 Barnum (Zebulon1) Born 27 July 1752, in Stratford, CT. Died, 1822, in Cayuga Co., NY. Census: 1810, 1820. Abel served in the Revolutionary War in the 5th Connecticut Line, Capt. Hait's Co. He enlisted in September 1777. [A listing for Abel Barnum in The DAR Patriot Index, #83710, is incorrect in that it confuses a distant cousin of this Abel with Abel Barnum I p1721-1799), son of Francis Barnum, indicating the cousin died in New Fairfield, CT in 1799 - the location and year of the death of Abel Barnum I]. Noah Barnum says Abel moved with his wife and infant son Zebulon to Ulster Co., NY, in 1773, then went to Canuga [Cayuga] Co. An Abel Barnum, probably this one, signed Articles of Association in Ulster Co. in 1775, then apparently returned to Ridgefield. Records of Ridgefield, CT., indicate his marriage there and the births of children Zebulon, Abel, Isaac, Israel, John, Rachel, Eunice, Mary, Charity and Betsey, all in Ridgefield. He apparently is listed in Ridgefield on the 1790 census--the only Barnum in Ridgefield listed on that census. An Abel Burnham on the 1800 census for Saratoga Co., NY, appears to be this Abel. Abel Barnum puchased land in Ridgefield from Benjamin Smith in 1786 [Register of Deeds, V. 6, p. 215, FHL 0005498]. He sold his land to Nathan Hawley 4 Mar 1792 [Register of Deeds, V. 8, p. 70, FHL 0005499], perhaps in preparation for his move to New York. Ridgefield Barnums contemporary with Abel include only Justus, Matthew Jr., and Zar or Czar [Ceasar?] He married Hannah Sherwood, daughter of Isaac Sherwood and Naomi surname unknown, 31 May 1772, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Born 25 July 1754, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Ridgefield land records in the state library give 17 Jul 1754 as her birthdate. Children: i. Zebulon Barnum, born 11 Dec 1772, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died 28 Nov 1848, in Carlton Twp., Barry Co., MI. Burial in Fuller Cemetery., Barry Co. Census: 1800, in Aurelius, Cayuga Co., NY. He married Betsy Ferster, 31 Jul 1798. Barbour incorrectly shows Zebulon's birth as "Reuben." "Births and Marriages 1709-1767" in the Ridgefield town clerk's office shows his birth with the name "Abulon.": The History of Ridgefield, Connecticut, by George L. Rockwell shows him as "Hudson." His name is obscure on the Ridgefield vital records page. A history of Hartland, NY, in Niagara Co., NY, "One of the Most Wonderful Regions in the World," by Edward T. Williams, 1921, states on p. 376 that Zebulon and Abel Jr. came to the territory which became Hartland in 1803. However, Abel Jr. appears on the Cayuga Co. census through 1820. Hartland is just inside Niagara County from Orleans County. Zebulon was living in Jackson Co., MI, in 1836, and decided to move farther west. He and Nelson Sprague got a Mr. McOmber to locate land for them in Carlton, Barry Co., MI, and Zebulon acquired the northeast quarter of section 25. In the fall of 1837 Zebulon and son A.H. Barnum went to Carlton, hired choppers to help clear their land and build a house. Zebulon then moved his family to Carlton. ii. Isaac Barnum, born 7 Apr 1775 in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died Feb. 1837, in Almont, MI. Occupation: clergyman. He married Ruhamah Palmer, 25 Nov 1804, in Cayuga Co., NY. Isaac Barnum appears as witness on probate records in Cayuga Co., NY, and administered his father's estate there. iii. Israel Barnum, born 16 May 1776, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died 25 Nov 1854. He married Lydia Weaver, circa 1809. iv. John Barnum, born 13 Sep 1777, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. He is said to have moved to Canada ca. 1812. He never married. v. Polly Barnum, born 1778. Died 1832, in Paw Paw, Van Buren Co., MI. She married, first, Hiram Southwell. She married, second, James Crane. vi. Abel Barnum Jr., born 27 Mar 1779, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died 19 Aug 1859, in Barry Co., MI. Burial in Fuller Cemetery, Barry Co., MI. Census: 1810, in 1820, 1830, 1840,1850. He married Anna [Peat] Peet, probably daughter of Stephen Peat and Esther surname unknown. Abel Barnum Jr. served in the War of 1812 in the First Regiment (Bloom's), New York Militia (National Archives Record). According to Noah Barnum, in 1805 Abel, Zebulon and other siblings moved their families from Cayuga Co., NY, to Hartland, Niagara Co. In 1817 they went to Carlton in Genesee Co. (now Orleans Co.), NY; and in about 1835 Abel and Zebulon went to Barry Co., MI, where they died on adjoining farms. This conflicts with information on the death certificate of Jane Barry, daughter of Abel and Anna Barnum, which indicates that she was born in 1814 in Genoa, Cayuga Co., and with the 1820 census of Cayuga Co., NY, which shows Abel Barnum Jr. residing there. Abel S. Barnum of Orleans Co., NY, is shown as the owner of 146.84 acres in sec. 31 of Barry Co., date of patent 8 May 1837, and as a bounty land claimant. Zebulon is shown owning 160 acres in sec. 25, patent date 26 Jul 1836. This appears on p. 56 in "First Land Owners of Barry County, Michigan," compiled by E. Ray and Ethel W. Williams, Kalamazoo, 1965; Library #977.416 R2w, in custody of FHL, Salt Lake City, UT. Johnson's history of Allegan and Barry Counties shows, on p. 411, "Among the early settlers in the Barnum neighborhood may also be reckoned...Abel, Philander, and Stephen Barnum...,": apparently father and sons. vi. Edwin Barnum. vii. Rachel Barnum, born 7 Oct 1780, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died 29 Oct 1834, in Hartland, Niagara Co., NY. She married, first, Hiram Brown. She married, second, Richard Weaver, 1816. ix. Eunice Barnum, born 12 May 1782, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died in Hartland, Niagara Co., NY. She married Jedadiah Riggs. x. Mary Barnum, born 4 Jan 1784, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died, 16 Jun 1858, in Hartland, Niagara Co., NY. She married, first, Oliver Castle. She married, second, Dexter Sprague. xii. Sally Barnum, born circa 1790, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died in Paw Paw, Van Buren Co., MI. She married Eben Armstrong. xiii. Esther Barnum, born circa 1792. She married (Unknown) Lewis. xiv. Betsey Barnum, born circa 1794, in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT. Died in Paw Paw, Van Buren Co., MI. She married Harry Parmer. xv. Hannah Barnum, born 20 Feb 1801. Died 23 Aug 1855, in Carlton Twp., Barry Co., MI. She married, first, Harry Parmer. She married, second, Elihu Covey. Subject: Re: HEPSIBAH HAYES BARNUM & DESC. Date: 17 Nov 2002 08:35:30 -0700 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/QFB.2ACE/19.64.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Is your BARNUM family from the Barry Co./Woodland area? There are many BARNUM's in the Woodland Memorial Cemetery.