03.01 American
Entrepreneur
PT. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up
in Bethel, Connecticut where in his early twenties became a small-business owner. Shortly after he founded a weekly newspaper,
Barnum relocated to New York City in 1834. Here, his entertainment
career took off with a variety group of singers called, Barnum's Grand Scientific and Musical Theater.
With that on his hands he soon purchased the Scudder's
American Museum, which he renamed after himself.
Barnum used the museum as a platform to promote hoaxes and human curiosities.
As the son of inn keeper, tailor and store-keeper Philo Barnum and second wife
Irene Taylor, he was also the third great grandson of Thomas Barnum, the
immigrant ancestor of the Barnum family in North America. His maternal
grandfather Phineas Taylor was a Whig, legislator, landowner, justice of the
peace, and lottery schemer, and he had a great influence on his favorite
grandson. Barnum was adept at arithmetic but hated physical work due to
his smallish size and his upbringings. He loved to use his mind over the minds
of others. Phineas was actually part of not only the world’s
history with his Circus but also a part of mine. P.T, if I am not mistaken,
married one of my great, great… (Etc) aunts. Therefore he is not only important
to many other families, but is a member of mine. He Harnessed his dream not long after hitting adulthood by leaving his
hometown and left for the entertainment of millions of people. He never thought
it would turnout like it did. He didn't think of how challenging it was going
to be. He was working since twelve and started building up money and constant success
throughout his years by Underestimating the
roadblocks. He then joined forces with James A. Bailey and James L. Hutchinson
and they soon became “P.T Barnum’s greatest show on Earth, And the Great London
Circus, Sanger’s Royal British Menagerie and The Grand International Allied
Shows United.” Eventually this name was simplified into, “Barnum and London
Circus.”
The site I got my
information from was www.ringling.com and
my other source was my own family history.
