Biography

Phineas Taylor Barnum was born on July 5, 1810 in the town of Bethel, Connecticut. He became a successful lottery ticket salesman at age 12. He then married Charity Hallett in 1829. Their marriage lasted until 1873 when Charity Barnum suddenly became deathly ill. After her death, Barnum ventured into show business. His ticket to stardom was a woman named Joice Heath, who claimed to be 161 years old and George Washington's nurse. Together, Barnum and Heath amused the public and their attention rose, becoming well known and respected in New York City. At the age of 25, Barnum had found his lifetime work, entertaining America.[br /]
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He spent the next few years promoting and exhibiting various acts. His first endeavor began in 1842. Barnum created a museum full of live animals and birds, glassblowers, a wax museum and much more. For a small fee spectators could behold "over 100, 000 curiosities." It was a huge success, but the success did not last. The spectators began to straggle and Barnum had to close down. [br /]
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In that same year, with luck on his side, P. T. Barnum made one of his most famous discoveries. He was lead to a man by the name of Charles Sherwood Stratton of Bridgeport, Connecticut, better known to the world as Tom Thumb or General Tom Thumb who was only 4 years old and 25 inches tall. As Thumb matured he never grew taller than 40 inches, a perfect addition to Barnum's attraction. The relationship grew for 40 years. They toured the capitals of Europe, and together they entertained kings and queens. They were a sensation as a touring act as well as a circus attraction until Tom Thumb's premature death in 1883. [br /]
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Tom Thumb was just the first of world's original performers Barnum brought to the American public and to rest of the world. Jumbo the elephant, 11.5 feet tall and weighing 6.5 tons, was a star attraction until he was killed in a railroad accident at the age of 24. But even then, Barnum, never one to overlook an opportunity, used Jumbo's hide and skeleton for exhibition. In time there came, Chang and Eng, the Siamese twins, who became another popular exhibit. P. T. Barnum also brought the famous singer, Jenny Lind, the Swedish Nightingale, to the United States on an immensely publicized tour. Barnum had a gift for finding people for his sideshow. Fat ladies, giants, midgets, jugglers, bearded ladies, the tattooed man, Jo-Jo the dog-faced boy were all grist for Barnum's shows.[br /]
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He owned more than one circus, either by himself or with partners. The largest accomplishment in Barnum's career was birthed with James A. Bailey. Together they created the widest nationally known circus, Barnum and Bailey, The Greatest Show on Earth. After years of providing eccentric amusement to the public P. T. Barnum died in 1891, leaving Bailey to run the show until his untimely death. In order to keep the legacy alive, and the two gentlemen's memories, Barnum and Bailey, The Greatest Show on Earth, was bought by the Ringling Brothers. [br /]
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Barnum's creation is today known nationally as the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circus. His circus ideas were kept alive leaving his name to history. He will always be remembered as a man who created an entity of his own, where the world around him became a distance murmur and the audience became magically surrounded by marvel and amusement. The circus was a place that welcomed imagination and dreams for all ages. Bravo![br /]
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