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Above: main Street Colfax, California
 
Judy Meyer, Barnard descendant and researcher, visited Colfax and found a town with a population of abt 2000 and learnt that it had not changed very much since 1895 when the Barnard family took up residency. 
 
1894 Evening Post, 24 August 1894: Mr. G. T. Mason, who has for some years been connected with the local office of the National Fire and Marine Insurance Company, has been appointed by Messrs. Johnston & Co. to the local management of the London & Lancashire office, vice Mr. H. J. Barnard, who has resigned and contemplates visiting America.
 
1894: Sailing from Auckland 8 September 1894 Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand to San Francisco 2 October 1894 S S MONAWAI
 
LIST OR MANIFEST OF ALIEN IMMIGRANTS FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION.
Required by the regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, under Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1893, to be delivered to the Commissioner of Immigration by the Commanding Officer of any vessel having such passengers on board upon arrival at a port in the United States.
S.S. Monowai, sailing from Sydney, Sept 3rd, 1894 arriving at Port of San Francisco, Oct 2, 1894.
Columns represent: Number, Name, Age, Sex, Married or Single, Occupation, Nationality, Last Residence, Final Destination in the US, By whom was passage paid?, Whether in Possession of Money - if less than $30, how much?, Whether ever before in the US, Whether going to join Relative or Friend
12  Henry James  Barnard   34y   M M     Clerk  Colonial  Wellington   Frisco self $1,000 No  No
13  Helena Marian  Barnard   29y    F M    Colonial  Wellington   Frisco                 
14* Frank          Barnard                                            
15* Henry          Barnard                                                      
16* James          Barnard
17* Joseph         Barnard      
 
It is hard to understand what incentive encouraged Henry Barnard to choose Colfax as the destination to make a new life for his family. The rich gold fields that attracted thousands of miners to the goldfields during the gold rush of 1849 were long gone -an area made famous in 1852 by the  Reelfoot Williams Gang robbing a stage coach - a first gold coach robbery. However, in 1865 the siting of the Central Pacific railway led to the area having a new town laid out.  The few people living here were mostly involved in supplying the miners passing through to other areas and catering to their needs with accommodation and food. Two merchants from Auburn in 1865 started the selling of lots and the area was transformed.
For a while Colfax really boomed and for many years was a true railroad town with a extensive agriculture up to the early part of the 1900s.

    
In Colfax, California Henry purchased and ran  the Colfax Bakery and Restaurant and the family would have lived in quarters above the shop. Two sons were added to their family while there - Charles Valentine in Oct. 1896  and the safe arrival of their next son, Alfred Montegue in Nov. 1898 may have became the catylist for change. 

An ad published in the Colfax newspaper on 27 Jan 1899 speaks of a Mr. Gassner renting the Colfax Bakery from Mr. Russell.  Another article of the same date says Barnard's Bakery was sold to D.A. Russell for $1,100 and that Mr.  Barnard and family left for San Franscisco to return to New Zeland.

        
 
1899 Evening Post, 14 February 1899: ARRIVAL OF THE 'FRISCO MAIL AT AUCKLAND.
[by telegraph press association."] Auckland, This Day. The E.M.S. Mariposa arrived from San Francisco, Honolulu, and Suva, at 7 this morning. Passengers for New Zealand Mesdames Reid, Boudebush, Barnard (and six children); Messrs. Holder, lleid, Vougesneber, Bondebush, ltosenthal, Bourne, Madseu, Lee, Dlarper, Langson, Brown, Hill, Barnard, Bur^eniersler, Lang. The Postal Department is advised that the voyage, which occupied 18 days 10 hours 12 minutes, including stoppages, was uneventful excepting for a strong gale on Saturday, which carried away the foretopsail and awnings. The London dates are 14th January and San Francisco 26th January. The steamer, which left San Francisco two hours late, was up to time at Auckland this morning. The Wellington and Southern portions of the mails will come as far as New Plymouth by the Gairloch, and will be in Wellington by to-morrow night's express train.

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