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Laura
(Brown) Barnum |
Laura (Brown) Barnum was born on Nov. 28, 1873, in
DeSoto, Dallas County, IA, the daughter of James
R. and Lydia (Miner) Brown. Her writings later in life provide a window
into her family's pioneer experience in Oklahoma.
Laura was the first of the couple's children to be born in Iowa after the family had left Cardington, Morrow County, OH.
As a child, in 1877, she and her parents moved from DeSoto to Montezuma, Powshiek County, IA, remaining there two years. They moved to Kansas in 1879, settling in Medicine Lodge, Barber County, KS. Then in 1889, they relocated again, traveling into the newly opened Oklahoma Territory, where they staked a claim near Kingfisher, Kingfisher County, OK. Laura and her father, brother and sister took part in the famed, wild and wooly Oklahoma Land Rush. Without her knowledge during the Rush, Laura's future husband, Edward Allen Barnum was staking out a claim east of Banner, OK.
On Feb. 17, 1896, Laura married Edward in Dover, OK, at the home of Rev. D.M. Pierce, in what was then Indian Territory. Edward was 22 years older than his wife, having been born on Dec. 16, 1851 in Galena, IL.
They had
five children -- George Edward Barnum,
Theresa "Gladys" Armstrong, James "Roy" Barnum, Ted Leon Barnum and Wilma Leona
Kester. The elder three of the Barnum children -- George, Roy and Gladys-- are seen
here in a studio portrait, circa 1901.
Sadly, son George was born with a heart defect, and died at the age of 17 in Kingfisher County, and was buried at Banner Cemetery northeast of Kingfisher.
Edward was a business partner with his brother Alva, said the Kingfisher Free Press, "in a general merchandise store at Columbia, with the large postoffice operated in conjunction." A wonderful image of the store appears in the Photo Section of the Oklahoma GenWeb Project.)
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Barnum Blacksmith Shop, Columbia, Oklahoma |
Laura is said to have been "a beautiful woman, big boned and fleshy, with short silver hair." She was a talented journalist and seamstress, and wrote a number of articles for the Kingfisher Free Press when it published special editions for its 60th and 75th anniversaries.
To read the full-text of Laura's excellent,
insightful memoirs, click on these respective titles: Chills,
Fever, Friends and Good Times and The
'Run of 1889'.
Laura also penned "Oklahoma Rose," seen here, a handwritten poem celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Oklahoma territory.
In 1897, the Barnums lived in Lakeside, CA, at the time their eldest son George was born. By 1898 they had moved back to Oklahoma, to the town of Nesbitt in Indian Territory.
A year or two later, they were in Columbia, OK, and in 1902 had moved on to Dover, OK. In 1908, they resided at Lovel, OK, and later settled on a more permanent basis in Kingfisher, OK.
Sadly, Edward died at age 81 on July 18, 1933. Laura outlived him by 23 years, and passed away on July 1, 1956 at Kingfisher, OK. They are buried together in the Banner Cemetery near Kingfisher.
Son Ted Leon Barnum married Zella (?) and settled sometime after 1925 at Wenatchee, WA, near a distant cousin, Alfred Arthur Younkin. Ted died there on Nov. 19, 1973. They had at least one son, Jerry Eugene Barnum (1925-2001), who served in the US Navy during World War II, and "taught at Moses Lake Jr. High School and Ephrata Elementary School for a combined seven years before starting his own janitorial business and restaurant maintenance company," said the Yakima Herald-Republic.
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Barnum homestead in Columbia, Oklahoma, circa 1900 |
Daughter
Gladys was an early teacher at Banner (OK) Rural School circa 1919-1920. She
later married Paul N. Armstrong, and have been called "The perfect
couple, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents." A candid snapshot
photograph of them, seen here, was taken circa 1921 in Oklahoma Park in
Kingfisher.
A grandson in law, Norbert Charles Jensen, worked on Lock #17 of the Arkansas River Navigation Project as an employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Great
granddaughter Jane (Felder) Nusz (seen at right) has taught at public schools
in Geary and Okeene, OK as well as at Oklahoma
State University. She has received "Teacher of the Year" honors
and other education-related awards. In March 2003, she was chosen by Phi Mu as
Oklahoma City's Panhellenic Woman of the Year, based on her many contributions
to her sorority and to the community. Among other activities, she currently
serves as Acting State Treasurer of the Oklahoma Association of Mothers' Clubs.
Also
in March 2003,
great-grandson James Davis (seen at left) received the Wiley Post Award as
the top civilian manager at Tinker
Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. In a special ceremony, he was presented
with the award and a plaque from Major General Charles L. Johnson, Commanding
Officer, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker. James also plays a mean
guitar, a candy apple red Fender Telecaster. He and the group "Midlife
Crysis" recently were the opening act for a concert at the University
of Oklahoma by a popular Beatles tribute band.
In
May 2003, great-grandson Robert E. Davis (seen at right) was sworn in as a
Special District Judge in Canadian County, OK. An attorney for more than a
quarter of a century, he is a graduate of the Oklahoma City University School of
Law. Bob's first 9 years as a lawyer were spent in a partnership in Kingfisher,
then for 15 years as a solo practitioner in Okarche, and from 2001-2003 in a law
office in Kingfisher. Said the Kingfisher Times, "His service will
run the gamut of the cases heard by the district court - civil cases, criminal,
family matters, juvenile, probate, small claims, wherever he is assigned."
For
more information, contact grandson Keith
Barnum (seen here) who is devoted to preserving and promoting the
heritage of his 'Okie' ancestors. Generously, Keith has shared a tremendous
wealth of documents, memoirs and photographs for Minerd.com.
Keith also hosts a website devoted to the Brown-Barnum branch of the family, BarnumFamilyOklaCousins.com. It's a public site, and if you wish to view a separate private Barnum site hosted by MyFamily.com, email Keith for an invitation. It's an impressive work -- contact him for more details.
Great-grandson Beryl R. Davis serves as Assistant District Attorney in Henryetta, Okmulgee County, OK. He has been a practicing lawyer since 1980 and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma School of Law.
The Armstrongs and Barnums hold a reunion annually in Oklahoma. Click for details about the 2009 gathering.
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Laura (Brown) Barnum article published in the Kingfisher Free Press |
Copyright © 2000-2003, 2008-2009 Mark A. Miner