THE LIFE AND BUSINESS OF:

P.T. Barnum

Josh Steel Clay McMellon

BIRTH & DEATH

On the 5th of July 1810, Phineas Taylor, later to be

known as P.T., was born in Bethel, Connecticut

April 7th the long sickness of P. T. Barnum came to

an end by his quietly passing away at Marina, his

residence in this city.

CHILDHOOD

Barnum found farm life-style was not favorable to

him.

He found invention in traditional work

By the age of twelve owned a sheep and a calf, sold

cherry-rum to soldiers, and was hired to help herd a

cattle drive to Brooklyn, New York.

EDUCATION

The life of the Barnum family was humble.

Despite lean family resources, P.T. Barnum began

school by the age of six.

As he progressed in years, he exhibited great

aptitude for mathematics, and used "head-work" as

his method for escaping egregious farming chores.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

paid $1,000 slave named Joice Heth, who was 161 years

old and a former nurse for George Washington.

Barnum bought Scudder's American Museum in lower

Manhattan

Barnum made "the Swedish Nightingale" an offer of

$1,000 per performance for 150 shows in the United

States and Canada, a tour which earned him a profit of

more than $500,000

BUSINESSES

He went bankrupt after attempting to lure the

doomed Jerome Clock Company to Bridgeport.

Served two terms in the Connecticut Legislature

and one term as mayor of Bridgeport.

INTERESTING FACTS

his grandfather deeded him a parcel of land known as lvy Island.

When he was 10 years old, he went to visit his estate and

discovered it to be “a worthless piece of barren land.”

When he heard Scudder’s American Museum was for sale,

Barnum determined to buy it. He mortgaged himself to the

building’s owner, proposing for collateral good references, a

determination to succeed, and a “valuable and sentimental” piece

of property known as Ivy Island.

QUOTES

Clowns are the pegs on which the circus is hung.

Money is some respects life’s fire: it is a very

excellent servant, but a terrible master.

Nine out of ten of the rich men of our country today,

started out in life as poor boys, with determined wills,

industry, perseverance, economy and good habits.

RESOURCES

http://

www.biography.com/people/pt-barnum-9199751

http://

www.barnum-museum.org/manmythlegend.htm

http://

www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/tampa_200502A42.

html