Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/223

BARNEY, Samuel S., representative, was born in Hartford, Wis., Jan. 31, 1846; son of John and Adaline (Knox) Barney; and grandson of William and Mercy (Crapeau) Barney, and of Sylvanus and Ruth (Adams) Knox. He was educated in the public schools of Hartford, attended Lombard university, Galesburg, Ill., but did not graduate, and taught in the high school in Hartford, 1867-'70. He studied law with L.F. Frisby, attorney-general of Wisconsin, in 1870; was admitted to the bar in 1873, and practised at West Bend, Wis. He was superintendent of schools of Washington county, 1876-'80; Republican candidate for representative in the 49th congress against General Bragg in 1884; delegate to the Republican national convention at Chicago in 1884; and a representative from the fifth district of Wisconsin in the 54th, 55th, 56th and 57th congresses, 1895-1903. He was married in 1876 to Ellen McHenry of West Bend.

BARNUM, Henry A., soldier, was born at Jamesville, N.Y., Sept. 24, 1833. He was educated at the Syracuse institute, graduated in 1856, and admitted to the bar in 1860. In 1861 he volunteered as a private in the 12th New York volunteer regiment. He was commissioned captain and fought in the battle of Bull Run, and during the Peninsular campaign. For his services in these engagements he received the rank of major. At the battle of Malvern Hill he served on the staff of General Butterfield, was wounded and left on the field for dead. He was found by the Confederates, taken prisoner, and confined in Libby prison, from which he was liberated in July, 1862. Soon after his release he was promoted colonel, and commanded his regiment in the battles of Gettysburg and Lookout mountain, and also throughout the Atlanta campaign, being wounded at Lookout mountain, where his regiment captured eleven battle flags. Before Atlanta he was again wounded, and on Sherman's famous march to the sea Colonel Barnum was commander of a brigade. In 1865 he was made major-general of volunteers "for his gallantry and fearlessness during the entire war," and resigned from the volunteer army in January, 1866, refusing a commission as colonel in the regular army. He was elected inspector of state prisons in New York, and in 1869 was made deputy tax-commissioner, holding the office three years. In 1885 he was elected to the state assembly, and was afterwards appointed harbor master of the port of New York, where he served five years, having been reappointed to the office in 1889 by President Harrison. Congress, by special vote in 1890, awarded him a pension of one hundred dollars per month, that being the largest pension ever allowed an officer of his rank. He died in New York city Jan. 29, 1892.

BARNUM, Phineas Taylor, showman, was born at Bethel, Conn., July 5, 1810, the son of a country store and tavern keeper. His father died when he was quite young, and he went to New York to find employment. Having accumulated some money, he opened a small store in Bethel, and became connected with the lottery chartered by the state for the purpose of building the Groton monument opposite New London. In 1829 he established and edited The Herald of Freedom, was charged with libel and imprisoned sixty days. In 1834 he removed to New York city, and placed on exhibition an old slave woman called Joyce Heth, advertised as the nurse of George Washington, and one hundred and sixty years old. He paid one thousand dollars for the right to exhibit her, advertised her extensively, and realized large returns. Thereafter Barnum travelled through the Southern states, exhibiting several small shows. In 1841 he bought Scudder's American museum, entirely on credit, and by shrewd management he was able to pay for it within a year. This became known as "Barnum's Museum," and was a favorite resort for many years. In 1842 he brought before the public Charles S. Stratton, of Bridgeport, Conn., a dwarf whom he named Gen. Tom Thumb and exhibited in America and Europe with great success. In 1849 he engaged Jenny Lind for one hundred and fifty nights, at one thousand dollars per night, brought her to America, and provided a concert company to assist her. This venture returned him a large profit. In 1855 he retired from the show business and built an elegant home in Bridgeport, Conn. Here he entered into several local business schemes which eventually absorbed his fortune. He again visited England with Tom Thumb, returning in 1857, and his earnings enabled him to extricate himself from his financial difficulties. He once more took charge of the old museum which was burned on the 13th of July, 1865. Another museum in a different locality was quickly extemporized, which was also burned. In 1871 he established a vast traveling menagerie and circus, which attracted much patronage and earned him a large fortune. He was four times a member of the lower house of the Connecticut legislature, and Mayor of Bridgeport for many years. He was a man of decided public spirit, and his benefactions, which were most liberal, included a public park in Bridgeport and a stone museum building for Tufts college, filled with specimens of natural history. He also delivered popular lectures in all parts of the country for many years, and wrote his own life, which had a wide circulation, and is as entertaining as any romance. He also published in 1845, "The Humbugs of the World," and in 1876, "Lion Jack." He died at his home at Bridgeport, April 7, 1891.