HAPPY EASTER!

So, no picture today. Just a review on the April Fool's post. How many of you investigated Mr. Stratton? Mr. Stratton was a member of the Barnum and Bailey circus. He is known by his stage name, General Tom Thumb. In case you didn't notice, Mr. Stratton is rather diminutive in size. He was 3.35 foot tall and weighed 71 pounds. How is he related? I haven't a clue. Is he even related? Not that I have figured out. Why was this image at Grandma's house? Good question! I am guessing somebody picked it up when they went to the circus. Even if this isn't Mr. Stratton the only known pictures taken by Mr. Eisenmann were of "circus freaks" including P.T. Barnum himself. Sadly this copy of the image doesn't have the labels on it like some of the other images sold by the circus. I guess that would make things just a little too easy. :-) So, if any of you guys think somebody else in the digital library looks a little more like our subject please let me know! Who knows, I might figure out where I got my height from after all. I hope you all enjoyed your April Fool's and I hope you have a beautiful Easter.

Today In History: Today is the birthday of Mary Johannsen-Boldt, Kay Lytle-Carsten, General McMurray and Sinke Johannsen.

Chas. Eisenmann

This is a picture that hasn't been identified or labeled but I believe I know who this is. The back of this photograph says it was taken by Chas. Eisenmann, photographer, No. 229 Bowery, Bet Rivington & Stanton Sts., New York. In order to help narrow down the time this picture was taken I did a Google search for Mr. Eisenmann. It seems he was a very famous photographer in the 1880's. Even more notable is he only took photographs of other famous people. Even better the Syracuse University has a digital library with over 1,411 images taken by Mr. Eisenmann most of which are highly fascinating. So after scrolling through a couple hundred images I think I have finally figured out who our subject is . . . *drum roll please* . . . Charles Sherwood Stratton.

Timeframe: Charles Stratton was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on January 4, 1838 and he died in 1883 at the age of 45.

Where It Fits: Charles Stratton is the son of Sherwood Edward Stratton and Cynthia Thompson. He is the grandson of Seth Sherwood Stratton & Amy Sharpe and Joseph Thompson & Mary Ann Sharpe. Charles married Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump and the couple had no children.

Today In History: Catherine Kromer-Hopfinger is 188 today.