BARNUM On October 6, 1892, the name of the post office at North Star was changed to Barnum with George M. Alderman as postmaster. "platted in 1892, and was named for Edward Seth Barnum, a farmer who had a farm across the Kickapoo River. ... The top population was 50 (Editor's note: but another history says the population once was 150 and in 1969 was 11.) In the early 1900's there were: 2 hotels, 2 general stores, a hardware store, ice cream parlor, cream buying station, cheese factory, creamery, saw mill, pickle station, depot, stockyards, meat market, 2 rural routes, post office, pool hall, saloon, 4 ice houses, blacksmith, livery stable, church and school." (Cora Barnum, Barnum, U.W.Ext. 1969).
|
Edward Seth Barnum |
A document dated January 18, 1943, signed by Postmaster W. H. Jenkins, gives the location as on Main Street, in the NW quarter of Section 34, Township 9N, Range 4W in the Township of Haney. The village of Barnum still exists. The office was discontinued on September 30, 1955 and its patrons subsequently received mail service from the post office at Gays Mills. The Barnum postmasters and their dates of appointment were: George M. Alderman 15 Apr 1892 Austin Alderman 14 Mar 1894 William E. Van Horne 1 Apr 1898 Seth Stevenson 13 Feb 1902 Loren P. Lathrop 21 Mar 1913 James M. Dowling 13 Nov 1913 Mabel Stevenson 20 Aug 1915 Edith D. Young 17 Apr 1916 William H. Jenkins 12 June 1918
