Newaygo County MI Archives Biographies.....Barnum, Stephen D. July 29, 1829 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 March 17, 2009, 7:32 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers

STEPHEN D. BARNUM, farmer, section 33, Ashland Township, was born in Hector, 
Schuyler Co., N.Y., July 29, 

1829.  His parents, Czar and Margaret (Geman) Barnum, were natives 
respectively of Connecticut and New 

York, and were of mixed Scotch, French and German ancestry.  In 1839 they 
located on a farm in Lenawee 

Co., Mich., where Stephen attained to the age of 19 years, attending the 
district school and working on 

his father's farm.

Mr. Barnum early resolved to obtain as good a degree of education as was in 
his power.  In 1848 he set out 

to accomplish his plans and engaged as a farm laborer.  He was industrious and 
economical, saving his 

earnings to secure his education, and attended the High School at Tecumseh, 
Lenawee County, where he 

studied two years.  He put his stock of learning to practical use in teaching, 
which profession he 

followed until 1855.  The confinement of the school-room shattered his health, 
and he was compelled to 

abandon his favorite pursuit and seek the woods of Northern Michigan.  He came 
to Newaygo County and 

located on 80 acres of land in Ashland Township.  The place was in its 
original state, and since he has 

been its proprietor he has devoted his best energies to its improvement and 
has placed 50 acres in the 

best condition for succesful farming.

Mr. Barnum was married Aug. 19, 1855, in Muskegon County to Roby A., daughter 
of Michael and Hannah 

(Carpenter) Kriger, natives of Massachusetts and New York respectively.  The 
daughter was born in Angola, 

Ind., July 16, 1840.  Her parents settled in Hillsdale Co., Mich., when she 
was in infancy, and afterward 

removed to Casnovia, Muskegon County, where she resided until her marriage.

Mr. and Mrs. Barnum have been the parents of six children, two only of whom 
survive:  Ai, born April 11, 

1857, and Adella, March 23, 1869.  Adelsia was born April 16, 1860, and died 
Nov. 29, in the same year; 

Almond, born Dec. 6, 1862, died March 25, 1863; Arthur, born Jul 11, 1871, 
died Sept. 21, 1873; Decatur, 

born Aug. 18, 1873, died March 6, 1874.

Mr. Barnum is a zealous and active Democrat.  He has been School Inspector ten 
years, Justice of the 

Peace, 12 years, and Superintendent of Schools several terms.  He is also 
Clerk of the Baptist Socity, of 

which Church himself and wife are members.

Additional Comments:
1884 Portrait & Bio Album of Newaygo County.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/newaygo/bios/barnum281nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 3.0 Kb