Profile Text
Birth Name: Phineas Taylor Barnum
Date of Birth: July 5, 1810
Place of Birth: Bethel, Connecticut, U.S.
Date of Death: April 7, 1891
Place of Death: Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S.
Ethnicity: English
P. T. Barnum was an American showman, politician, businessperson, author, publisher, and philanthropist. He founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1871. As a Republican, he was a Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the Fairfield district, from 1866 to 1869, and Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 1875 to 1876. He often worked with General Tom Thumb .
P. T. was the son of Irene (Taylor) and Philo Barnum. He was of Colonial American (English) ancestry, with roots in Connecticut going back to the early/mid 1600s.
He was married to Charity Hallett, until her death, and then to English socialite Nancy Fish, until his death. He had four children with Charity.
P. T. was a third cousin, once removed, of William Henry Barnum, a Democratic politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut, from May 18, 1876 to March 4, 1879, and who was a great-great-great-grandfather of actor Treat Williams .
P. T.’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced to his great-great-great-grandfather, Thomas Barnum, who was born, c. 1625, in Hollingbourne, Kent, England.
P. T.’s paternal grandfather was named Ephraim Barnum (the son of Ephraim Barnum and Mehitable). P.T.’s grandfather Ephraim was born in Connecticut, and was a Whig, legislator, landowner, justice of the peace, and lottery schemer. P. T.’s great-grandfather Ephraim was the son of Thomas Barnum and Sarah Beardsley.
P. T.’s paternal grandmother was Rachel Starr (the daughter of Jonathan Starr and Rachel Taylor). P. T.’s grandmother Rachel was born in Connecticut. Jonathan likely was born in Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut, the son of John Starr. P. T.’s great-grandmother Rachel was the daughter of Joseph Taylor and Sarah.
P. T.’s maternal grandfather was Phineas Taylor (the son of Nathan Taylor and Mary Weed). P. T.’s grandfather Phineas was born in Connecticut. Nathan was the son of Nathan Taylor and Hannah Benedict. Mary was born in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, the daughter of Jonathan Weed and Mary Ferris.
P. T.’s maternal grandmother was Mary Sherwood (the daughter of Abel Sherwood and Hannah Fountain). Mary was born in Connecticut. Abel was born in Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticut, the son of David Sherwood and Sarah Meeker. Hannah was born in Westport, Fairfield, the daughter of Aaron Fountain and Elizabeth.
Sources: Genealogies of P. T. Barnum – https://www.geni.com https://famouskin.com