Thomas Barnum

   Another name for Thomas was Thomas Barnham (Barnum).

  General Notes:

Note should be taken of the fact that Thomas Barnum also appears in various sources as Thomas Barnham and Thomas Barnam.

'The Barnum Family, 1517-1904' states (without providing documentation) that Thomas Barnam was the 15th child of Sir Francis Barnham and his wife Lady Elizabeth Lennard, Baroness Dacre, and that Thomas left England in 1640 to come to the American Colonies, where he first settled in what is now Bethel, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Tradition, however, says that Thomas Barnum came first to New York and afterwards to Norwalk. Although Hannah Hurd is sometimes shown as the first wife of Thomas, the use of that name is not supported by reliable documentation and it has generally been discounted. Most sources agree that Thomas married (1st) a wife whose surname is not known, having with her all of his ten children. He married (2nd) Sarah (Thompson) Hurd, after 1688. She was the widow of John Hurd, Sr., of Stratford, who died in 1681.

Thomas purchased land in Fairfield, Connecticut on 28 Feb 1673, and received a grant of land in Norwalk five years later. The grant reads: "Granted by the plantation unto Thos: Barnam a certaine swampe lyinge neere the west side of Stonie brooke and not far of Soabatucke hill, the sayed swampe containinge five acres more or lesse and lyeth bounded of west north and south with the common land. Aprill the 30th, 1678." That same year, he sold his land in Fairfield to Alexander Bryan and removed to Norwalk. Hall's 'History of Norwalk' says: "Thomas Barnam, of Fairfield, had a grant before 1663." The same history gives the assessment of his estate in lands in that town in 1671 and 1687 as 40 pounds. (40 pounds in 1687 is the equivalent of $6,473 in 2001 dollars). There is also a mention of Thomas in a Fairfield book of records as follows: "28 Feb. 1673 Thomas Barnam has by purchase of John Crump one parcel of land at Maximus, being in quantity by estimation three quarters of an acre more or less." The next record is in Norwalk, dated 30 Apr 1678, and another at the same time says that the plantation granted to Thomas Barnam was "three acres lying by the land said Thomas purchased of John Rayment."

At a town meeting in Norwalk, 8 Nov 1681, he was appointed to "oversee and keep good Decorum amongst the youth in times of exercise on the Sabbath and other Publique meetings; and the town doe impower him if he see any disorderly, for the keep of a small stick to correct such with; onely he is desired to doe it with clemency; and if any are incoridgable in such disorder, he is to present them either to their parents or masters; and if they doe not reclaime them, then to present such to authority." Cutter, in 'Connecticut Families,' notes that Thomas Barnam was one of the first eight settlers of the town of Danbury, Connecticut, in 1684. The 'History of Stratford' makes the same statement. The others are listed as: Thomas Taylor, Francis Bushnell, John Hoyt, James Benedict, Samuel Benedict, James Beebe and Judah Gregory. Those eight individuals purchased from the local Indians a large tract of land which now includes the towns of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield, Redding, Ridgefield, and a portion of Derby, and established there the settlement of Danbury. Thomas located his homestead in a portion of the new settlement which in 1855 became a part of the town of Bethel, and is known today as the Old Homestead at Grassy Plain.

He was charged by his fellow settlers with the formulation of the articles of agreement establishing the form of civil government which they were to have in their new town. From that, and other references found in contemporary records of the locality, it appears that Thomas Barnam was a man of more than ordinary intelligence among the immigrants of his time, and was very active in both church and town affairs.

Thomas died on 26 Dec 1695, aged about 70 years. His estate, which amounted to 330 pounds, 4 shillings, 4 pence, was divided among "five sons and five daughters, the eldest son to have a double portion." His widow Sarah returned to Stratfield in Stratford, and died there in Jun 1718, aged 76 years. (330 pounds, 4 shillings, 4 pence in 1695 is the equivalent of $47,999 in 2001 dollars).

Thomas married Hannah in 1660 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. (Hannah was born on 20 Sep 1640 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA and died in 1683 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Alt. Marriage, 1662, Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.

Thomas next married Sarah Thompson after 1681. (Sarah Thompson was born in 1642 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA and died on 24 Jan 1718 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA.)