(popularly known as Tom Thumb), dwarf; born in
Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 4, 1838.
The attention of
P. T. Barnum, the showman, was first drawn to
Stratton in November, 1842, when the midget was about four years old. He was then less than
[
440]
2 feet high, weighed less than 16 lbs., was beautifully formed, a blond, with ruddy cheeks and mirthful eyes.
Barnum introduced him to the public Dec. 8, 1842, by the name of
Gen. Tom Thumb.
He paid him $3 a week and expenses for himself and his mother for the first four weeks, after which he engaged him for a year at $7 a week, but, as the boy proved a great attraction, he soon raised the wages to $25 a week.
In January, 1846, under a contract of $50 a week,
Mr. Barnum took him to
Europe, where he made a profitable tour through
England,
France, and
Germany.
He was presented to Queen Victoria,
Louis Philippe, King William of
Prussia, and other rulers, who treated him with marked kindness.
The next year he returned to
Europe for three months. On his return home he proved a greater attraction than ever, and
Mr. Barnum said that in twelve days in
Philadelphia he received $5,504.91; and in one day at
Providence he took in $976.98. In 1857 he took Tom Thumb and
Cordelia Howard, famous as little Eva in
Uncle Tom's cabin, to
Europe, where these children appeared in humorous characters, creating a furore and gathering a golden harvest.
In 1862
Mr. Barnum introduced the two sister midgets,
Lavinia and
Minnie Warren, to the public, the former of whom young
Stratton married before the end of the year in Grace Church, New York.
The public reception at the
Metropolitan Hotel, immediately following, was a notable affair.
After this, for week after week, the three tiny folks drew crowds of admirers at
Barnum's old museum, the receipts sometimes being over $3,000 a day.
Mr.Stratton and
Mrs. Stratton had a pleasant home at
Middleboro, where they spent a large part of their time when not on the stage.
He died in
Middleboro, Mass., July 15, 1883, and two years afterwards his widow married
Count Primo Magri, an Italian dwarf.
