General Tom Thumb died 138 years ago today

Charles Sherwood Stratton was an American dwarf, who achieved great fame as a performer under circus pioneer P. T. Barnum. His stage name was"General Tom Thumb".

He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut January 4, 1838. He was a fairly large baby at 9 pounds 8 ounces who abruptly stopped growing at about 6 months of age. Though very small his body was proportionate and fully functional. His siblings were of average size.

Phineas T. Barnum heard about him and contacted his parents then assumed tutelage of him. Barnum taught him how to sing, dance, mime, and impersonate famous people in the process of cultivating an act.
 

Charles Stratton made his first tour of America at the age of five. He incorporated routines that included impersonating characters such as Cupid and Napoleon Bonaparte. He performed song and dance numbers and even stand up comedy a straight man who was another member of the Barnum troupe.

As a marketing gimmick, Barnum gave Stratton the name General Tom Thumb and his tour was a huge success.

He was the toast of Europe and became an international celebrity. His fame and popularity made him the stuff of legend in his own lifetime.

He changed the perception of society from the standpoint of presentation of human oddities as entertainment. Before his performances the perception of so-called freak shows was unfavorable and he turned them into a favored form of theatrical entertainment in the United States.

His marriage to Lavinia Warren who was also a little person in 1863 became front-page news. There were 10,000 guests at the reception. The best man was George Washington Morrison aka Commodore Nutt who was another dwarf employee of Barnum. The maid of honor was Minnie Warren who was Lavinia's sister. After the wedding, the couple was received by President Lincoln at the White House.

Charles Stratton died unexpectedly of a stroke on July 15, 1883 at the age of 45 years. While alive he was quite over the top in polite society. His decedent affairs were equally spectacular. Over 20,000 people attended his funeral. His funerary monument features a lifesize statue of him atop a great marble headstone procured by PT Barnum in tribute to this most famous circus performer and showman.