Barnum. "General Tom Thumb Jr., the dwarf, is the most wonderful specimen of a man who ever astonished the world," one newspaper wrote. 8 oz. Stratton had first attracted Barnum's attention because of his unusually small size; he had dwarfism and never grew taller than 42 inches… See more ideas about tom thumb, general tom thumb, human oddities. Barnum's productions) is pictured with his wife Lavinia Stratton (maiden name: Warren). February of 1863 saw one of the most anticipated celebrity weddings of its time—after all, what better to provide a momentary distraction from the realities of the Civil War than a little star gossip? Romantically pursued by the tiny entertainer Commodore Nutt, her affections belonged to General Tom Thumb from their first introduction. Updates? They owned a yacht, considerable real estate, and fine horses. When he was discovered at the age of four by P. T. Barnum little Charles stood a mere 25 inches in height and weighed 15 pounds. P.T. Under Barnum's management, Stratton became a wealthy man. (240 mm x 224 mm) paper size Purchased, 1903 Reference Collection He was the first major attraction promoted by the circus impresario P.T. General Tom Thumb, born Charles Sherwood Stratton, was a dwarf born in the mid-19th century who became a famous circus performer under P.T. See more ideas about general tom thumb, tom thumb… His marriage in 1863, to Lavinia Warren, also a little person, became front-page news. [3] He developed and grew normally for the first six months of his life, at which point he was 25 inches (64 cm) tall and weighed 15 pounds (6.8 kg). This daguerreotype, produced by Mathew Brady's studio, shows the young Stratton in full-length portrait, standing on a table. Charles Stratton's maternal and paternal grandmothers, Amy and Mary Ann Sharpe, were stated to be small twin girls born on July 11, 1781 (or 1783) in Oxford, New Haven, Connecticut. When Barnum introduced Stratton as Gen. Tom Thumb to New York audiences, he boosted the child’s age to 11 years to … Also, he was a talented actor, singer, dancer, and comedian. General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren, ca. May 21, 2012 - Explore Michele Grabowski's board "General & Mrs. Tom Thumb", followed by 252 people on Pinterest. Both were performers for P.T. The kindness of Strangers' (London: Bloomsbury, 2013). A General, a Queen, and the President. In 1959, vandals smashed the statue of Tom Thumb. Use Just4U rewards & coupons to save money on grocery. Lavinia met General Tom Thumb while working at Barnum's American Museum. On his 18th birthday, he was measured at 2 feet 8.5 inches (82.6 cm) tall. The best man at the wedding was George Washington Morrison ("Commodore") Nutt, another dwarf performer in Barnum's employ. Before Stratton's debut, the presentation of "human curiosities" for entertainment was deemed dishonorable and seen as an unpleasing carnival attraction. Christine Kinealy, 'Charity and the Great Hunger. x 8 7/8 in. He and his wife Lavinia Warren - who Barnum "discovered" when she was 21 and Charles 25 - were little people. S. Booth, 1874 - … He was a four year old child when P. T. Barnum introduced him to show biz. Stratton made his first tour of America at the age of five, with routines that included impersonating characters such as Cupid and Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as singing, dancing, and comical banter with another performer who acted as a straight man. At 10 years old, General Tom Thumb poses proudly wearing the pocket watch and chain given to him by Queen Victoria in 1844. Omissions? General Tom Thumb – The Most Famous Midget. "[6] During the voyage, General Tom Thumb contributed to a collection for the relief of famine victims in Ireland. Barnum & Bankruptcy: The Show Must Go On". General Tom Thumb. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. At age four Charles Sherwood Stratton became General Tom Thumb, an immediately popular attraction at Barnum's American Museum. P. T. Barnum purchased a life-sized statue of Tom Thumb and placed it as a gravestone at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Corrections? The maid of honor was Minnie Warren, Lavinia's sister. Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Washington, D.C., United States. As a result, certain dramatic critics did not compare his skills to those of the freak show community of which he was a member, but preferred to judge him on his merits as a professional entertainer. They showed him to their doctor, who said there was little chance Charles would ever reach normal height. Their wedding was one of the biggest events in nineteenth century New York. The wedding took place at Grace Episcopal Church, and the wedding reception was held at New York City's Metropolitan Hotel. Here, on Saturday evening, the 23rd of March 1844, according to the Court Circular, he, accompanied by Barnum, “exhibited his clever imitations of Napoleon, &c., which elicited the approbation of her Majesty and the Royal circle.” Barnum. Born in 1838 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, legendary entertainer Charles Sherwood Stratton, a.k.a. Charles Stratton, better known by his on-stage alias, Tom Thumb, was a dwarf who became a global celebrity in the 19th Century. Barnum himself undertook to train little Charles in courtly manners, the memorization of witty quips, and the performance of several dances and dramatic roles. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. by Henry Calton Maguire lithograph, 1844 or after 9 1/2 in. General Tom Thumb was the stage name of Charles Sherwood Stratton (January 4, 1838 – July 15, 1883), a little person who achieved great fame under circus … He was buried with Masonic honors by Saint John's Lodge. General Tom Thumb (4 January 1838 - 15 July 1883) was an American entertainer. Following the wedding, the couple was received by President Lincoln at the White House. Six months after surviving the Newhall House fire, Stratton died unexpectedly of a stroke. Then he suddenly stopped growing. Stratton made his final appearance in England in 1878. In these melodramas, Stratton was assigned the title role, which he played on multiple occasions. Barnum. Studio portrait, full length, standing. General Tom Thumb and his ‘guardian’, Barnum, departed for England, in January 1844, for a three-year tour of Europe. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. X-rays were not discovered until 1895, 12 years after Stratton's death, and the medical techniques of the day were unable to ascertain the pathology (if any) underlying his diminutive size. Barnum. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. S. Apart from this, he was a completely normal, healthy child, with several siblings who were of average size. Phineas T. Barnum heard about Stratton, and after contacting his parents, taught the boy how to sing, dance, mime, and impersonate famous people. Their manager, Sylvester Bleeker. [ 12 ] his stage name Masonic Templar... Saved by their manager, Sylvester Bleeker. [ 12 ] he later to! To improve this article ( requires login ) Barnum took young Stratton in portrait. Fine horses 's American Museum ’ s Home was Everything you Might Imagine to! 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