Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 33.
 
LADRU BARNUM

     A product of Wasco county, Ladru Barnum has progressed with its
development, giving his best efforts to every task that he has undertaken, and
is now a forceful figure in financial circles of The Dalles, representing the
First National Bank in an official capacity. He was born in 1877 in Moro and at
that time Wasco, the "largest county in the world," as it was called, comprised
in its area what is now Sherman county. His father, Henry Barnum, was a native
of New York state and in his youth yielded to the lure of the west, sailing
around Cape Horn. He came to this region when eastern Oregon was one great
cattle range, unfenced for hundreds of miles. He filed on a homestead in Wasco
county, becoming the owner of the land on which the town of Moro was afterward
built. There he spent the remainder of his life, raising cattle and horses on an
extensive scale, and his homestead is now the state and federal demonstration
farm for eastern Oregon. Mr. Barnum was a broad-minded man of generous impulses
and in his will provided for the maintenance of a school. For each of his
children who a pupil at this school the district was to receive a bonus of
seventy-five dollars per annum, provided he or she attended during three months
of the school year. Mr. Barnum attained the full measure of success and in 1884
death terminated his useful and upright career. His widow, Mrs. Elmira
(Masicker) Barnum, was born in Yamhill county, Oregon, and passed away in 1923.
They were the parents of four children: E. E., a resident of The Dalles and one
of the large wheat growers of this part of the state: Ladru; A. H., a breeder of
registered Hereford cattle and one of the leading stockmen of Sherman county;
and Mrs. Ora M. Peetz, whose husband is county commissioner and maintains his
home in Moro.
     Ladru Barnum attended the school established by his father and rode the
range until he reached the age of twenty, becoming thoroughly familiar with the
details of stock raising. When about sixteen he took part in the Moro rodeo,
wearing chaps and riding wild steers, but the life of a cowboy was not to his
liking and he determined to fit himself for a commercial career. He completed a
course in the Portland Business College and for six months was a clerk in a
general store in Klondike, Sherman county. Afterward he was employed in a
similar capacity by the Moro Mercantile Company and in 1900 entered the service
of the Wasco Warehouse & Milling Company of Moro as grain buyer, or chief field
man. For twenty years he filled that important position, traveling throughout
eastern Oregon and in addition he acted as manager of the bank operated by the
company in Moro, assuming the duties of the latter office in 1903. Reared on a
ranch, he has never lost his interest in agricultural matters and in 1912 was
the prime mover in securing for the farmers of Sherman county a loan which saved
them from what at one time looked like ruin, the amount obtained from eastern
sources for that purpose being nearly three-quarters of a million dollars. On
March 6, 1919, he came to The Dalles and has since been vice president and
general manager of the First National Bank. Mr. Barnum has aided materially in
making this one of the strongest and most important financial institutions of
Oregon and is also vice president of the Bank of Moro, a director of the Bank of
Wasco and of the Eastern Oregon Banking Company of Shaniko.
     The First National Bank of The Dalles was organized in 1885 and started
with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars. Its first election was held
December 28, 1885, and David P. Thompson was called to the presidency of the
bank, of which John S. Schenck became vice president, while Hamilton M. Beall
was chosen cashier. At that time George A. Liebe and Griffith E. Williams were
selected as their associates on the board of directors. As a result of the
annual election of January 12, 1892, J. S. Schenck became president of the bank
and H. M. Beall continued as cashier. The latter resigned July 15, 1893, and on
July 22, 1893, J. M. Patterson assumed the duties of cashier. On January 8,
1901, H. M. Beall replaced G. A. Liebe as vice president and Max A. Vogt became
cashier. The capital stock remained unchanged until December 28, 1905, when it
was increased to one hundred thousand dollars. W. C. Waldron tendered his
resignation as bookkeeper and on July 25, 1904, F. W. Sims was selected to fill
the position. H. M. Beall resigned as vice president on January 9, 1906, and G.
A. Liebe was then recalled to that office, of which he was the incumbent until
January 14, 1908. E. M. Williams was then elected vice president and F. W. Sims
was made assistant cashier. On July 5, 1911, the surplus was increased to one
hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. J. S. Schenck died October 16, 1913,
and on November 3, 1913, Max A. Vogt was elected president of the bank, while F.
W. Sims was advanced to the post of cashier. Max A. Vogt died January 23, 1919,
and on March 6, 1919, the following officers were elected: E. M. Williams,
president; E. O. McCoy and L. Barnum, vice presidents; and F. W. Sims, cashier.
There were no further changes until June 15, 1927, when J. W. Hoech was elected
a director and vice president. The present officers are : E. M. Williams,
president; E. O. McCoy and J. W. Hoech, vice presidents; L. Barnum, vice
president and general manager; F. W. Sims, cashier; and W. H. Wilhelm, L. A.
Littleton, Max Kasberger, J. F. Tureck and J. L. Secton, assistant cashiers. The
directorate is composed of L. Barnum, J. W. Hoech, J. L. Kelly, E. O. McCoy and
E. M. Williams.
     The statement issued by the bank at the close of business on October 10,
1927, showed a capital of one hundred thousand dollars; a surplus and undivided
profits of one hundred and eighty-eight thousand, four hundred and forty-six
dollars, deposits amounting to two million, four hundred and seventy-seven
thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two dollars, and total resources of two
million, eight hundred and ninety thousand, seven hundred and twenty-eight
dollars.
     In 1911 the old home of the institution was replaced by a new modern, class
A bank building, five stories in height. It is made of pressed brick and stands
in the center of the business district. The bank occupies all of the lower floor
and the remaining stories of the building contain office suites leased by local
business and professional men. The bank pays three per cent interest on savings
accounts and has safe deposit boxes for rent. Up-to-date banking appliances
facilitate the work and the service is adapted to every need. On January 13,
1927, the First National Bank of The Dalles took over all the deposits of the
Wasco, County Bank, making this one of the largest and foremost moneyed
institutions in eastern Oregon.
     Mr. Barnum was married June 30, 1900, in Moro to Miss May Kunsman, a native
of Ohio and a daughter of John and Mary Kunsman, both of whom passed away in
Oregon. Their younger children, Roy and Mary Kunsman, were reared by Mr. Barnum
and carefully nurtured. Roy is engaged in business at Arlington, Oregon, and has
a wife and one child, Barbara May. Mary is now Mrs. Newton, Crosfield, of Wasco,
Oregon, and has a son, Newton Ladru.
     During the World war Mr. Barnum was head of the local Red Cross
organization and food administrator for his county. He was chairman of every
bond and stamp drive in Sherman county and also participated in the campaigns
promulgated by the Young Men's Christian Association. For a considerable period
he was chairman of the republican county committee of Sherman county and for
seventeen years was its representative on the republican state central
committee. While a resident of Moro he was a school director for eight years and
also filled the offices of councilman and mayor. For four terms he was president
of The Dalles Chamber of Commerce and acted as district trustee of the local
Kiwanis Club for a similar length of time. He is also a member of The Dalles
Golf & Country Club and a Knight Templar Mason, holding the thirty-second degree
in that order. In the blue lodge he is past master and is a Noble of the Mystic
Shrine. He has been through all of the chairs in the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and is likewise connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks
and is a past patron of the Eastern Star. His wife belongs to the last named
order, is past worthy matron and was active in the Grand Chapter. Enterprising,
broad-minded and unselfish, Mr. Barnum has demonstrated his public spirit by
actual achievements for the general good and the rules which govern his life are
such as constitute the basis of all honorable and desirable prosperity.

 
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.