Book: "Tom Thumb’s Three Years Tour Around the World" (inscribed copy)
Book
Sylvester Bleeker (created by)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
M. Lavinia Warren (associated with)
Huldah Pierce Warren Bump Newell (Minnie Warren) (associated with)
George W. M. Nutt (Commodore Nutt) (associated with)
Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb)
Southworth, Mary (associated with)
M. Lavinia Warren (associated with)
Huldah Pierce Warren Bump Newell (Minnie Warren) (associated with)
George W. M. Nutt (Commodore Nutt) (associated with)
September 1872 (Date manufactured/created)
Hardcover copy of “Tom Thumb’s Three Years Tour Around the World “ written by tour manager Sylvester Bleeker and published in September 1872. The main celebrities on tour were Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb) and his wife Lavinia Warren; they were accompanied by her younger sister Minnie Warren, and George Washington Morrison Nutt (Commodoere Nutt). Nutt served as the best man and Minnie Warren as the bridesmaid at the Stratton's highly popularized marriage in 1863, known as The Fairy Wedding. The celebrity group was managed by Sylvester Bleeker who, among other things, was a prompter, actor, writer, stage manager, agent of P. T. Barnum’s, and a museum superintendent, filling a great number of roles in the management of the Barnum's American Museum in New York City. The "world tour" book was very popular in its day, and many versions were printed. (A paperback version with illustrations on the covers can be seen in record EL 1986.086.001). This version features a marbled cover, with a brown leather spine and corners, and inside, a frontispiece illustration showing the four little people meeting royalty in British India. The first page contains an inscription by Lavinia Warren presenting the book to "Mrs E. Thompson, London, England, from Countess Magri, USA." Lavinia married Count Primo Magri, in 1885, thus the gift was made at least 13 years after the book was published. "Middleboro, Mass." noted at the top right, was Lavinia's home town, which she made her permanent home after Stratton passed away.
Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838 July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport Conn. native who got his start with P. T. Barnum as a very young child in 1842. Stratton took quickly to performing, and he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton's performances brought him considerable renown and wealth, and he became one of the biggest celebrities at the time. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren, also a little person, and the two had a happy marriage, and continued touring abroad and in North America. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him.
Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump (October 31, 1841 - November 25, 1919), was a well known entertainer during the 1800s. She began her show business career on a river boat, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was profitable at the time. Warren signed with P. T. Barnum at age 21, along with her younger sister Minnie Warren, who also had the same condition of proportionate dwarfism. On February 10, 1863, Lavinia married fellow Barnum performer Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb) after a whirlwind romance. They worked and toured together as celebrities, and had a happy marriage. Following Stratton’s death, Lavinia married Primo Magri, an Italian entertainer who was also a little person, on April 6, 1885. The two toured together, and later, they operated a roadside stand in Middleboro, Mass. Lavinia died on November 25, 1919, and is buried besides her first husband, Charles Stratton, at Mountain Grove Cemetery.
George Washington Morrison Nutt (April 1, 1848 - May 25, 1881), known as Commodore Nutt, was an entertainer who worked for P.T. Barnum. Nutt was exhibited for his small stature at a young age, and he signed with Barnum at age 13. He became a new star at the American Museum but never rose to the level of celebrity that Charles Stratton had. Nutt was sometimes paired with Charles S. Stratton, and later he joined with Stratton, and Stratton's wife Lavinia and Lavinia’s sister Minnie to do a world tour. After their return to America in 1872, he quit the company, but his own attempts to start a company never quite took off, and his financial resources dwindled. Nutt died of Bright's disease on May 25, 1881 in New York City.
Huldah Pierce Warren Bump Newell, known better as Minnie Warren (June 2, 1849 - July 23, 1878) was a performer associated with P. T. Barnum. She was the younger sister of M. Lavinia Warren, and the two sisters had an excellent relationship. Minnie married fellow little person Edmund Newell in 1877, who was also a Barnum performer. The two had one child together, but the infant died at the time of birth. Minnie herself died as a result of delivering a normal size the baby. She passed away on July 23, 1878, a loss which devastated her sister. Minnie is buried in Nemasket Hill Cemetery in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838 July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport Conn. native who got his start with P. T. Barnum as a very young child in 1842. Stratton took quickly to performing, and he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton's performances brought him considerable renown and wealth, and he became one of the biggest celebrities at the time. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren, also a little person, and the two had a happy marriage, and continued touring abroad and in North America. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him.
Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump (October 31, 1841 - November 25, 1919), was a well known entertainer during the 1800s. She began her show business career on a river boat, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was profitable at the time. Warren signed with P. T. Barnum at age 21, along with her younger sister Minnie Warren, who also had the same condition of proportionate dwarfism. On February 10, 1863, Lavinia married fellow Barnum performer Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb) after a whirlwind romance. They worked and toured together as celebrities, and had a happy marriage. Following Stratton’s death, Lavinia married Primo Magri, an Italian entertainer who was also a little person, on April 6, 1885. The two toured together, and later, they operated a roadside stand in Middleboro, Mass. Lavinia died on November 25, 1919, and is buried besides her first husband, Charles Stratton, at Mountain Grove Cemetery.
George Washington Morrison Nutt (April 1, 1848 - May 25, 1881), known as Commodore Nutt, was an entertainer who worked for P.T. Barnum. Nutt was exhibited for his small stature at a young age, and he signed with Barnum at age 13. He became a new star at the American Museum but never rose to the level of celebrity that Charles Stratton had. Nutt was sometimes paired with Charles S. Stratton, and later he joined with Stratton, and Stratton's wife Lavinia and Lavinia’s sister Minnie to do a world tour. After their return to America in 1872, he quit the company, but his own attempts to start a company never quite took off, and his financial resources dwindled. Nutt died of Bright's disease on May 25, 1881 in New York City.
Huldah Pierce Warren Bump Newell, known better as Minnie Warren (June 2, 1849 - July 23, 1878) was a performer associated with P. T. Barnum. She was the younger sister of M. Lavinia Warren, and the two sisters had an excellent relationship. Minnie married fellow little person Edmund Newell in 1877, who was also a Barnum performer. The two had one child together, but the infant died at the time of birth. Minnie herself died as a result of delivering a normal size the baby. She passed away on July 23, 1878, a loss which devastated her sister. Minnie is buried in Nemasket Hill Cemetery in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
EL 1988.087.001