Frances Irena Barnum was born on May 1, 1843, in Connecticut, United States. Her mother, Charity Hallett, was 34, and her father, Phineas Barnum, was 32 at the time of her birth. Unfortunately, she passed away at the age of 1 and was buried in Mount Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Connecticut, on April 10, 1844.
Her father, a well-known person, P.T. Barnum, amused millions of citizens with his bizarre but humorous showmanship.
Because of his thorough comprehension of how to stimulate people’s interest, thrill them, and be a source of amusement, he was known as the “Shakespeare of advertising.” This well-known showman founded the contemporary 3 ring carnival in the nineteenth century, which grew to be the “largest carnival in the globe.” “The Feejee Oceanid,” “the baby of Tomb’s thumb,” “The Mammoth of Cardiff,” as well as “Free superb bison chase” are some of his well-known practical jokes and hoaxes.
He became one of the richest men of his time; thanks to his successful business skills and charitable endeavors that generated a sizable fortune. He also published several books throughout his lifetime, such as “Money making,” “Struggles of Triumph,” and his life story, “The Life of P.T. Barnum.” Barnum is referred to as “the great American showman for his accomplishments and resourcefulness. “Also, his name continues to be associated with the legacy of the American circus even today.
Barnum P.T.
At the age of 19, he wed Charity Hallet with whom he had three kids. His father, Philo, ran a store, a tailor shop, and an inn.
Barnum P.T. Before Fame
He launched several small enterprises in his formative days, as well as a neighborhood weekly newspaper. His first famous prank, the “Feejee” mermaid, a creature with a fishtail and a monkey head, appeared in 1842. As a Republican representative for Fairfield, he previously served in the Connecticut assembly in 1865 and was a fervent proponent of ratifying the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.
Barnum started as an entrepreneur at a young age
Barnum’s propensity for making money first became apparent while he was a young man in Bethel, Connecticut. At neighborhood events, the future performer sold sweets and homemade cherries rum. By age 12, he had earned enough money to buy his animals. By age 21, he owned a small lottery, a general store, and his newspaper, the “Herald of Freedom.”
He first became well-known for creating a well-known scam
Joice Heth, a blind enslaved person who was purported to be the retired nurse of George Washington, was purchased by Barnum in 1835, the year he began his career in entertainment. Heth was displayed in New York and given a brief tour of New England after Barnum billed her as “the most fascinating and interesting oddity in the world.”
She had a long line of admirers waiting to gaze at her skeletal figure and listen to her stories about “dear little George,” Barnum stoked curiosity by spreading the myth that she was a ventriloquist-controlled automaton. Heth’s real identity wasn’t revealed until after her passing in February 1836. She was probably no more than 80, according to a public autopsy that Barnum staged and charged 50 cents to attend.
