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A Family Tree of the BARNUM/BARNHAM Family Worldwide

Notes for Abel BARNUM

Information about this family attributed to Noah G. Barnum's The Barnum Family (either the 1904 or the 1907 edition) should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Abel Barnum fought in the Revolutionary War, as a member of Captain Hart's Company (one source says Captain Hait), 5th Connecticut Line Regiment, enlisting during the month of September 1777. Noah Barnum says that Abel moved with his wife and infant son Zebulon to Ulster County, New York in 1773, then went to Canuga (Cayuga) County. An Abel Barnum, apparently this one, did sign Articles of Association in New Marlborough, Ulster County, in 1774, but no other record of him can be found there. The Articles of Association were signed by citizens of New York who were favorable to the cause of liberty. Abel apparently returned to Ridgefield in 1775. Records of Ridgefield, Connecticut indicate his marriage there and the births of Zebulon, Abel, Isaac, John, Rachel, Eunice, Mary, Charity and Betsey, all in Ridgefield. He apparently is listed in Ridgefield in the 1790 Census - the only Barnum in Ridgefield in that census. An Abel Burnham on the 1800 Census for Saratoga County, New York appears to be this Abel. A listing for Abel Barnum in the DAR Patriot Index, #83710, is incorrect in that it confuses a distant cousin of this Abel, the son of Elijah Barnum, with Abel Barnum I (1721-1799), son of Francis Barnum, indicating that the cousin died in Fairfield in 1799 — the location and year of the death of Abel Barnum I. This Abel's ancestry, as given here, departs from the traditional ancestry given by Noah Barnum and by Eben Lewis Barnum and Rev. Francis Barnum. Those ancestries, showing this Abel as the son of Abel, have been disproved by later research.

Jacobus, in 'The American Genealogist,' v. 32, pg. 148, said that Abel, son of Abel I, "had fits, incompetent, unm." He cites as his source "a copy of a valuable manuscript compiled in 1852-1853 by Samuel Hendrick Pardee (1794-1862). Included is a schedule of some of the descendants of Abel Barnum (abt 1720-1800). A partial confirmation of this is the fact that of the two sons who survived Abel I, Abel and Zadoc, the younger of the two, Zadoc, administered his father's estate.

Ridgefield, Connecticut Vital Records, vol. 1, pg. 5a, record Abel as the son of Zebulon Barnum and Rachel (Daschom) (m. 29 Oct 1751). They had a son, Abel, born at Stratford, but his birth was recorded in Ridgefield, apparently by Abel himself, as he recorded the births of his wife and all of his children. This birth record is the only direct documentary tie for an Abel of this generation to Ridgefield. Abel's birth is the only listing for Zebulon or Rachel in Barbour.

It should be noted that the name Zebulon is not common among Barnum families of this period. The only Zebulon listed by Eben and Rev. Francis Barnum was the son of this Abel (although they show him as the son of Abel II, son of Abel I). Noah G. Barnum listed an additional Zebulon, but connected him with no family, evidently not knowing just who he was. He is shown as "not connected with IV generation," and as having a son Solomon and grandsons David, Albert (1812), and William. However, it appears this reference is actually to Zalmon Barnum (born 1772, d. 1844, m. Sarah Nash), son of Comfort Barnum, who had sons David, Albert born 1812 and William (as well as Zalmon).

The only Barnum owning land in Ridgefield in the mid-1700s was Joshua Barnum, who purchased land from David Wood on 6 Jan 1743/44 and from John Sturdevant on 11 Apr 1746.

Abel Barnum purchased land in Ridgefield from Benjamin Smith in 1786. He sold his land to Nathan Hawley on 4 Mar 1792, perhaps in preparation for his move to New York. Ridgefield Barnums contemporary with Abel include only Justus; Matthew, Jr. and Zar or Czar.

There were several Abel Barnums living at the same time as this Abel - Abel son of Zebulon, Able I and his son, Abel II, Abel son of Elijah and Abel son of Eli, variously confusing the record. "Abel" son of Matthew is actually Asel or Asahel. Of all these Abels, only the son of Zebulon and the son of Abel I appear to have been of an age to participate in the American Revolution, and the son of Abel I is said to have been "incompetent."

This Abel married Hannah Sherwood on 31 May 1772, in Ridgefield, Fairfield, Connecticut. The membership entries from Venice Baptist Church show Abel, Hannah and Anna Barnum. Venice is a township in Cayuga County, New York, just above Genoa township. There were apparently only two churches in the area. The records show: Abel Barnum 1818; Hannah Barnum, Joined 1807. The records were updated periodically and also show Abel Barnum, 1820 and Anna Barnum May 11, 1823.

Barb Andersen has in her possession a letter that refers to "Abel, son of Tibulus and Rachel Barnum 27 June 1752." The letter continues with the statement, "no Barnum marriages or deaths shown."

According to a copy of Abel Barnum's surrogate documents, from Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, dated September 17, 1822, he died in Genoa, Cayuga County, New York. Abel died intestate and his son Isaac and daughter Polly's husband James Crane were appointed administrators. The surrogate documents contain a complete inventory of the estate, consisting of four handwritten pages prepared by Alexander Darrow and Samuel Hewitt. The inventory lists over 100 separate items, among them 22 head of livestock (including "one old cow"), 6 acres of wheat on the ground, 6-1/2 tons of hay, 15 barrels of cider, 4 "poark" barrels, 10 chairs, 1,770 pine boards, 1 great spinning wheel, numerous quilts and coverlets, 1 "read cloke", 1 oak plank, 5 notes (with a total value of $61.19) and 732 feet of pine siding.

Census listings for this Abel Barnum appear as Follows:
1790 - Ridgefield, Fairfield County, Connecticut: Abel Barnum; 1 free white male of 16 years & upwards, including heads of families; 2 free white males under 16 years; 7 free white females including heads of families. [Note: Two others named Abel Barnum were enumerated in the 1790 Census. One, in New Fairfield, was probably Abel Barnum (1719-1799), son of Ensign Francis Barnum and his wife Mary; the other, in Danbury, may have been Abel Barnum (1764-1851), son of Elijah Barnum, Sr. and Hannah Whitlock].
1800 - Ballston, Saratoga County, New York: Abel Barnum; 2 free white males 16 thru 25; 1 free white male 26 thru 44; 1 free white male 45 and over; 2 free white females under 10; 3 free white females 10 thru 15; 1 free white female 16 thru 25; 1 free white female 26 thru 44. [Note: Another Abel Barnum, in Danbury, Connecticut, may have been Abel Barnum (1719-1799), son of Ensign Francis Barnum and his wife Mary].
Census listings for Abel Barnum in Danbury in 1810 and 1820 do not appear to be connected with this Abel Barnum.
Stratford was formerly known as Cupheag Plantation and prior to that Pequonnocke.

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A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide

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