(Charles Sherwood Stratton)
Charles Sherwood Stratton (Tom Thumb) was born Jan. 4, 1838, in Bridgeport, Conn., to Sherwood Edward Stratton, a carpenter, and his wife, Cynthia. The parents, "normal" sized adults reportedly were embarrassed that their son was a dwarf.
In 1842, P. T. Barnum discovered Charles, who measured 25 inches and weighed 15 pounds, only six pounds more than his birth weight.
Barnum touted the child as an 11-year-old European marvel and taught him to sing, dance, mime and act. During their dealings together, they traveled around the world and met various leaders and royalty, including President Abraham Lincoln and Britain's Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Barnum hired Stratton, who was just four years old, for three dollars a week plus traveling and board expenses for his mother. In December 1842 Barnum "announced the dwarf on my museum bills as "General Tom Thumb." Tom Thumb had a great deal of native talent.As Tom became a public favorite, it wasn't long before Barnum upped his weekly salary to twenty-five dollars. Barnum then hired another midget Lavinia Warren .
Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren were married Feb. 10, 1863, in New York City's Grace Episcopal Church. The newlyweds stood atop a grand piano to receive 2,000 guests.
Tom Thumb died of a stroke on July 15, 1883. His funeral was attended by more than 10,000 people. Lavinia remarried on April 6, 1885, to an Italian dwarf, Count Primo Magri. She died Nov. 25, 1919.
Tom Thumb was the most celebrated showman of the times, and in turn Barnum became Bridgeport's greatest public relations man.
