Barnum & Bailey Circus in United States


Barnum & Bailey Circus



Typecircus

Owner 1888-1891: P. T. Barnum
1888-1906: James A. Bailey
1892-1907: Joseph McCaddon
1906-1907: Ruth McCaddon
1907-1911: Otto Ringling
1907-1916: Albert C. Ringling
1907-1918: Henry Ringling
1907-1919: John Ringling
1907-1919: Charles Ringling
1907-1919: Alfred T. Ringling
1907-1919: Henry Ringling North
P. T. Barnum and James Anthony Bailey
Founded1888
First elephant arrived1888
Last elephant left1919
Closed down1919
Place Bridgeport
StateConnecticut
Country United States

Directors

Key People -: Frank Hyatt (superintendent)
1907-1919: John Patterson (menagerie superintendent)
1909-1912: Arthur Konyot (animal trainer)

Veterinarians

Elephant department

Head keepers
of elephants
1888: Charles White
(elephant superintendent)
-1861: Charles White
(elephant trainer)
1882-1885: William Newman
(assistant elephant superintendent)
1886-1887: William Newman
(elephant superintendent)
1894-1894: George Arstingstall
(elephant trainer)
1903-1904: Bill Emery
(elephant superintendent)
1903-1904: George Bates
(assistant elephant superintendent)
1905-1905: Bill Emery
(assistant superintendent)
1905-1907: George Bates
(elephant superintendent)
1903-1907: Harry Mooney
(assistant elephant superintendent)
1887-1907: George Conklin
(elephant superintendent)
1908-1919: Harry Mooney
(elephant superintendent)
1907-1919: George Denman
(elephant head-keeper)

Elephant keepers -: Charles White
1882: Matthew Scott
1885-1898: George Bates
1896-1896: Bill Emery
1903-1907: Joe Secastin
Record history
History of updates2024-01-31

Latest document update2024-01-31 12:44:04
Relevant literature
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Description

Barnum & Bailey Circus, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States , was founded in 1888 and the first elephant arrived in 1888. The last elephant left in 1919. Barnum & Bailey Circus closed down in 1919.


Comments / picturesBarnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+StatesWinterquarters in Bridgeport

Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from Bob Cline

Barnum & Bailey Circus ( James Bailey\' s widow sold to Ringling Bros. in 1907 )

Albert Male Asian 1895 to 1918 went to RBBB listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Alice Asian Female 1881 to 1887
Babe Asian Female 1887 Died Nov. 10, 1887 in Bridgeport, CT.
Babe Asian Female 1907 to 1918
Baby Ruth 1895 listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Bessie Asian Female 1907 to 1918 1886 - 14 elephants
Bimbo 1889
Bridgeport Asian Female 1882 to 1884 Died - 1884
Chief Male Asian 1876 to 1914 Sold to Wm. P. Hall
Cheiftan Male Asian 1876 to 1882 Sold to Adam Forepaugh
Columbia Asian Female 1888 to 1907 Died Nov.8, 1907
Coco Asian Female 1907 to 1918
Ding Dong 1892
Don Pedro Male Asian 1897 to 1898 Executed in Liverpool, ENG. May 15, 1898
Duke 1895 listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Duchess 1895 listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Ellen 1895 listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Fannie Asian Female 1907 to 1918
Fritz Male Asian 1888 to 1902 Executed in Tours, France June 11, 1902
Gypsy Asian Female 1907
Hattie Asian Female 1907 to 1918 Went to RBBB
Jap Asian Female 1902 to 1907
Jenny Asian Female 1907
Jess Asian Female 1907 to 1918 Went to RBBB
Josh Male Asian
Jumbo African Male 1882 to 1885 Died in train wreck Sept. 15, 1885
Juno Asian Female 1907 to 1918 Went to RBBB
Katie Asian Female 1908 to 1918 Went to RBBB
Lizzie Asian Female 1907 to 1918
Mandarin Male Asian 1897 to 1902 Executed Nov. 8, 1902 in New York Harbor returning from Europe.
Mary Asian Female 1908 to 1918
Mighty Male Asian 1916 to 1918
Mike Male African 1907 Died in a fire the same day he arrived in quarters - Dec. 19, 1907
Nellie Asian Female 1907
Nick Male Asian 1897 to 1902 Executed in Stokes-on-Trent, ENG. Nov. 12, 1898
Pallus Asian Female 1887
Pilate Male Asian 1895 to 1918 Died Oct.27, 1918 in winterquarters listed in New York World on Sun. Dec 1, 1895 as arriving on the Persia
Queen Asian Female 1880 to 1885 Sold to Adam Forepaugh
Queen Asian Female 1904 to 1918
Ruth Asian Female 1896 ( per Buckles Woodcock - same as Baby Ruth above ??? )
Tip Died in winterquarters
Tom Thumb Male Asian 1885 to 1887 Given to Bronx Zoo
Topsy Asian Female 1907 to 1918 Went to RBBB
Topsy Female African 1908 to 1909 No records after 1909 found.

Bob Cline, Cheraw, South Carolina, United States. Autor of the book Americas elephants


1881: P. T. Barnum merged with Cooper and Bailey Circus(owned by James Bailey and James L. Hutchinson) , The combined show enjoyed great success with acts such as the worlds largest elephant, Jumbo in 1882.
1885: P. T. Barnum and James Bailey split up again in 1885, but came back together in
1888: with the "Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth", later "Barnum & Bailey Circus", which toured around the world. The shows primary attraction was Jumbo, an African elephant he purchased in 1882 from the London Zoo.
1889: Barnum and Bailey bought the Carl Hagenbeck Circus in Germany from Carl Hagenbeck. When Barnums came to Londons Olympia in 1889 they travelled with 450 performers, 300 horses, 21 elephants, 32 cages and 35 parade and baggage wagons.
1891: P. T. Barnum died on April 7, 1891.
1891: Bailey purchased the circus from Barnums widow. He ran many successful tours through the eastern United States and also Canada.

Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+States
Barnum & Bailey Circus elephant parade on Blvd St Laurent, Montreal. Le Monde Illustré, August 3, 1895.

Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
Only 3 elephants of the Barnum and Bailey Herd of 24 were taught to stand on their heads. Babe, Lena and Columbia.
Also to give you an idea what an elephant cost back in 1895, according to a newspaper article published back then interviewing George Conklin, an "ordinary" elephant was worth 3 to 4 thousand dollars.
John L. the boxing elephant $5,000.
Dick and Fritz $6,000. each
Baby Ruth, not less the 2 thousand.


Europe tour 1897-1902

Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
1897: Bailey took his circus to Europe where, on December 27, 1897, he began a tour across the continent that lasted through 1902.
Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+StatesThey took 18 elephants to Europe, 10 large and 8 small. Of the three men in the lighter uniforms, the one at left is William Newman ("Elephant Bill") and the one in the center is George Bates standing next to "Mandrin". There were 4 big males "Fritz" at left is easy to spot, at the extreme left partially hidden is another Tusker "Don Pedro" and the 4th male "Nick" was Tuskless. All four of these males died in Europe
Among the 6 females were "Gyp" (Gypsy) dating back to the early 1870\'s with P.T. Barnum as well as "Babe" and "Columbia" the latter now is 18 years old.
The punks were "Pilate" (male), "Chief" (male), "Queen", "Juno", "Coco" (tuskless male), "Bessie", "Mary" and "Ruth" (yes this is "BabyRuth" later owned by Wm. Hall). These young elephants were added in the early 1890\'s and not to be confused with Pilate, Chief, and Queen of the 1880's.
As regards to Cooper & Bailey in Australia the 1877 Route Book states: "Titania" presented by Prof. Geo. W. Johnston. That same year a Melbourne program has: "Betsey" trained by Charles Warner. Again in 1878 we see: "Titania" presented by George Johnson. This man Johnson was later Menagerie Supt. with B&B in the 1880's.
I get the feeling that Cooper & Bailey only had one elephant in Australia and her name was "Betsy" and her stage name "Titania".

William "Buckles" Woodcock


Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+States

1897-1900: Touring in United Kingdom.
1900-1901: Touring in Germany and Austria. The circus opened in Hamburg on April 15. 25th of November until the 24th of February 1901 they played in Vienna, and had a Winter pause in Vienna from the 25th of February until the the 6th of April 1901. The german tour closed 30.August 1901 in a town called Leer, close to Hamburg.
1901: After Germany the circus went to Holland and Belgium.
1902: toured France and Switzerland.

On the end of October 1902 they went back to the US.


Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/

1897-1902


1898:"Harry Mooney was hired while Barnum & Bailey was making its European tour (1898-02) and remained with that show until the Ringling-Barnum merger in 1919. He then went to Australia."Williams Buckles Woodcock

Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+States1899 Inventory, McCaddon collection at Princeton University

1900: elephant superintendent Mr. Pearl Sauder
superintendent of elephants: George Bates
They took 18 elephants to Europe, 10 large and 8 small. Of the three men in the lighter uniforms, the one at left is William "Elephant Bill" Newman and the one in the center is George Bates standing next to "Mandrin". There were 4 big males "Fritz" at left is easy to spot, at the extreme left partially hidden is another Tusker "Don Pedro" and the 4th male "Nick" was Tuskless. All four of these males died in Europe. Among the 6 females were "Gyp" (Gypsy) dating back to the early 1870s with P.T. Barnum as well as "Babe" and "Columbia" the latter now is 18 years old. The punks were "Pilate" (male), "Chief" (male), "Queen", "Juno", "Coco" (tuskless male), "Bessie", "Mary" and "Ruth" (yes this is "BabyRuth" later owned by Wm. Hall). These young elephants were added in the early 1890s and not to be confused with Pilate, Chief, and Queen of the 1880s. As regards to Cooper & Bailey in Australia the 1877 Route Book states: "Titania" presented by Prof. Geo. W. Johnston. That same year a Melbourne program has: "Betsey" trained by Charles Warner. Again in 1878 we see: "Titania" presented by George Johnson. This man Johnson was later Menagerie Supt. with B&B in the 1880s. I get the feeling that Cooper & Bailey only had one elephant in Australia and her name was "Betsy" and her stage name "Titania".
Barnum & Bailey Elephant Herd/ European Tour, Buckles Web Log, 10/04/05

Baileys European tour gave the Ringling brothers an opportunity to move their show from the Midwest through the eastern seaboard. Faced with the new competition, Bailey took his show west of the Rockies for the first time in 1905.

Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+StatesBarnum & Bailey Herd between performances was taken by Frederick Whitman Glasier about 1905. The original glass negative is part of the Howard Tibbals Circus Collection at the Ringling in Sarasota.

1906: James Bailey died.
1907: Barnum and Bailey Circus circus was eventually sold to Ringling Brothers on July 8, 1907 for a price of US$400,000.
John Patterson was Menagerie Supt. with Barnum & Bailey from 1907.

Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
Contradictory records:

1907: 20 elephants, among them 5 Adult bulls.


31 December, 2007:

Bob Cline said...
Buckles,
I have a 1907 listing of the Herd with 17 elephants. Would the 1908 Herd have remained the same?
Thanks,
Bob

Buckles said...
After the Ringlings bought the Barnum Show in November of '07 they decided to take 4-Paw-Sells off the road.
Now with surplus elephants on hand, eight were leased to the Gollmars and six went to the Barnum Show but upon arrival in Bridgeport a fire in the bull car took the life of the big African male "Mike"
The surviving five brought the 1908 Barnum Herd up to 22.


William "Buckles" Woodcock


Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+StatesBarnum and Bailey in Winfield Kansas on Sept. 20th 1909
1911: 21 elephants:
Records about Barnum & Bailey Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
From Buckles Woodcocks blog:
Barnum & <a href='location2.php?location_id=634' title='Bailey Circus'>Bailey Circus</a>
in United States United+States

William "Buckles" Woodcock

1918: The Barnum and Bailey Herd at November 1918 contained: Katie, Albert, Bessie, Coco, Lizzie, Fannie, Nellie, Baby, Jennie, Topsy, Jap, Mighty, Queenie, Mary, Juno, Hattie, Pilot and Jess.
1919: Barnums show was merged with Ringling Bros Circus into the new Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

References for records about Barnum & Bailey Circus

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2024). Barnum & Bailey Circus, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=465. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:



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