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Stratton, ‘General Tom Thumb’ (1838–183)  A photograph of Charles Sherwood Stratton, who was employed by P T Barnum, the US circus proprietor. Stratton was only 64 cm/25 in tall when first found by Barnum, and was exhibited in Europe in 1844 at the age of six years. It was Barnum who gave him the circus name of ‘General Tom Thumb’. | US celebrity. His parents were of normal height, but he grew to only 40 inches and weighed only 70 pounds. He joined P T Barnum's museum at the age of four; at age six, Barnum took him to Europe where he entertained royalty and caused a sensation. He toured the USA 1847–52 and then went into semiretirement. |
| He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He married Lavinia Warren, another dwarf, in 1863; they had one daughter who died young. On his death it was found that he had squandered the fortune he had made. |
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