System Mechanic - Clean, repair, protect, and speed up your PC!PT Barnum, Barnum & Baliey's Circus
July 05, 1810 - April 07, 1891
P. T. Barnum was born in Bethel, Connecticut on July 5, 1810 to Irena Taylor Barnum and Philo F. Barnum. Barnum learnt the value of money quickly when his father died and left the family bankrupt. Barnum was born with the innate skill to make money. After working for the General Store in town, he saved up enough money to open his very own store. By 1834 Barnum moved to New York City and partnered with Aaron Turner. The two men purchase a small circus and took the show on a cross-country tour. Unfortunately, the partnership soon dissolved due to poor attendance and financial troubles.
By the 1840's, Barnum managed to scrape up what little cash he had and purchase the unprofitable Scudder's New York Museum. Barnum was a mastermind when it came to cheap and effective promotion. He used dazzling gimmicks and outlandish publicity stunts to attack people through the doors. He quickly earned himself a financially sound operation. He later expanded the museum by building a small theater where freakish performers performed unimaginable stunts. It was a major success, which drew in curious crowds many times over.
By 1842 Barnum created the persona General Tom Thumb for 10 year old Charles Stratton, who stood only two feet tall. Barnum and Charles traveled across England and France earning a significant amount of money. The duo eventually returned to the U.S. and took their show on a cross county tour. Unfortunately, by 1850 Barnum overextended himself financially and his mansion burnt to the grown. He almost lost his entire fortune. Being resourceful, Barnum bounced back and started lecturing on how to become rich. The public loved him, soon after a number of books followed and he was back on his feet.
Barnum loved the circus and the entertainment business was in his blood. Once again, Barnum decided to establish another traveling circus called the Great Travelling World's Fair. By the 1880’s Barnum struck up a deal with an English Travelling Circus Company and the two companies merged to become Barnum and Bailey Circus. The show was a great success. Soon after Barnum's health began to fail him. He actually wrote his own obituary and had it published in the newspaper so he could read it before he died. P.T. Barnum died April 7, 1891 at the age of 80.
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