Phineas Taylor Barnum

Phineas Taylor Barnum (English: Phineas Taylor Barnum, July 5, 1810 - April 7, 1891) was an American circus agent and performer. Born on July 5, 1810 in Bethel, Connecticut, his father ran a small store. In 1842, he opened the "American Museum" in New York. It was famous for its extravagant advertisements and weird exhibits, the most famous of which was the Fiji Mermaid. He established the World Circus in 1871. He called his circus "the best show in the world." The performances included street juggling and high-level culture, such as the singing of Jenny Lind, a soprano singer from Europe known as the "Swedish Nightingale", which caused a great sensation. In 1881, he merged with his rival James Bailey to form the Barnum and Bailey Circus, also known as the Ringling Circus. Barnum has been touring the United States with his circus. His circus is full of all kinds of incredible magical exhibits, such as General Tom Thumb (a 60-centimeter-tall dwarf) and the Siamese twins. During the tour, his train always arrived two weeks earlier than his circus. His photo hung on the train. It is said that his last words before his death were: "How is the income at Madison Square Garden today?" After his death, he was buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery. His circus was transferred to the Lingling Brothers for $400,000 in 1907. Barnum was famous for his cruel treatment of animals. In 1882, he purchased the long-abused African elephant Jumbo (Elephant Jinbao) from the London Zoo in England to make money with his circus tour. Three years later, during the transportation process, Jumbo was hit by a train due to negligence of the circus personnel and died on the spot. The owner of the circus, Barnum, decided to display his bones as a specimen to continue to search for wealth.