Bio: Barnum, Israel R. (History - 1823)

Contact: Janet Schwarze

Surnames: BARNUM ROSE POLK CHARITON BIVENS

----Source: History of Clark and Jackson Counties (1891-Lewis Publishing Co.) pages 153 and 154:

ISRAEL R. BARNUM is a man whose uprightness and integrity render it a pleasure to sketch his career and record it on these pages of the History of Jackson County. He was born in Shandaken, Ulster County, New York, July 1, 1823, and is a son of Israel and Mary (Rose) Barnum, also natives of the State of New York. Israel Barnum was a relative of the former P. T. Barnum. He came with his wife to Wisconsin at an early day and settled in Dunn County, where he still resides, at the advanced age of 94 years his wife died in 1882, at the age of 82 years. He served as soldier in the war of 1812 all his life he has been a farmer he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church they had born to them ten children Israel R., Hiram, Jonathan, William, Mary Al, Zadok, Noah, Jane, Warren and Antoinette. The eldest born, and the subject of this notice, was reared on a farm in the midst of the scenes of his birth, attending the common schools. In the year 1856 he came to Jackson County, hoping to make a home and accumulate some property in 1861 he bought 200 acres, which now comprise his farm, seventy acres having been placed under cultivation through his persevering efforts. It has been no light task to clear this land from the wild forest, and fit it for the plow, and too much praise cannot be given to those hardy pioneers who have made Jackson County what she is today.

Mr. Barnum at one period of his life was engaged in a tannery and he has also followed surveying, serving as County Surveyor for one term he has been Town Clerk almost continuously since 1861, and he has been Justice of the Peace for several terms. In his political faith he is a Prohibitionist. He cast his first Presidential vote for James K. Polk. He is a believer in churches and religious denominations, and contributes liberally to their support, although he is not a member of any denomination.

July 20, 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Chariton. She was born in Middletwon, Delaware County, New York, November 22, 1832, and is a daughter of William and Saliva A. (Bivens) Chariton, natives of the Empire State. Mr. and Mrs. Barnum are the parents of ten children: Sarah, alice, Mary, Sidney, Elmer, Iona, Lillie, Ada, Willie and Elva Sidney, Alice and Mary are deceased.