P.T. Barnum's "Greatest Show on Earth" Visits Sandusky

P. T. Barnum was one of America’s most well known showmen and entrepreneurs. He is probably best known for his association with the Barnum and Bailey Circus. In 1881, he merged his show with competitor James Bailey, to form the Barnum & Bailey’s Circus, which would later become the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
On Friday, July 19, 1878, P. T. Barnum’s “Greatest Show on Earth” visited Sandusky, following a show in Cleveland, Ohio. The Sandusky Register carried a lengthy article on July 20, 1878, which gave details about the event. Railroads brought carloads of people to Sandusky, as did steamboats. The steamship Hayes brought two hundred sixty visitors to Sandusky to see Barnum’s exhibit. The reporter wrote, “There is a magnetic power about the name of Barnum that draws like a gigantic mustard plaster. The simple announcement that his show is coming creates a fever of excitement among the juveniles and stirs up the more sluggish blood of grown persons, for all realize that when Barnum comes they will have an opportunity of witnessing a more imposing street parade, viewing the animal wonders of a more extensive menagerie, and attending a grander arenic display than any other manager can afford delight his patrons with..”

Fred Lawrence, press agent for P. T. Barnum, gave a representative of the Sandusky Register a tour of the stables, museum, and pavilions before the opening of the show. The stables held not only the performing stallions, but also large animals used to transfer the tents, baggage, and chariots between the railroad station and the show grounds. Four hundred persons had their meals in the large canvas dining hall, though The West House did serve one hundred members of the Barnum troops on July 19. The first exhibition tent was the Museum, which contained automatic figures, sea monsters, and preserved snakes and birds. The next tent featured a wide selection of animals, a group larger than any other traveling show in the country.

“Captain Costentenus” was a major attraction in the 1878 “Greatest Show on Earth.” He was a person of Greek heritage who was tattooed from head to foot, as a punishment when he was imprisoned by the Chinese Tartary. Another person who traveled with the Barnum show as an exhibit was Col. Goshen, a giant who stood eight feet tall in his stocking feet. The last tent was the “ring,” where daring equestrian feats were performed by a fearless riders and trained stallions. An estimated twelve thousand people attended the Barnum shows the afternoon and evening of July 19, 1878. The Register reporter stated that “the horses seem almost endowed with human intelligence.” The writer concluded with the statement that all who witnessed the performances felt that Mr. Barnum “can justly lay claim to having the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’”

Next to the Register’s feature article about Barnum’s circus was a small article about two pickpockets from Cleveland, named “Papes” and “Mollie Matches.” They followed the Barnum show to Sandusky, but after being alerted by authorities in Cleveland, Marshal Berrigan ordered the two would-be thieves out of town.

The core exhibit of the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut features the life of P. T. Barnum. Visit the museum’s website to learn more about P.T. Barnum and his many accomplishments.

Mystery Photos (Back by Popular Demand)

It's been a long time since we posted a "mystery photo" (still looking for good ones). This one comes with an extra question:

Where was this photo taken? What is the significance of this scene?

You can post your answers in the comments. If no one guesses, we'll post the correct answer in a few days.

Update: Here is a related photo that might give you a little hint (or it might not).

Program Announcement: A History of Combat Medicine

Join us in the Library Program Room on Thursday, July 23, at 7:00 p.m. when Dr. James Banks, Director of the Crile Archives in Cleveland, will survey the development of combat medicine from WWI to the present, tracing the history of General George Washington Crile’s service in WW I and some of his research on shell shock and related injuries. Out of that experience he and three others established the Cleveland Clinic in 1921. Dr. Banks will then look at the impact of WW II, particularly psychological wounds and include clips from Let There Be Light a documentary based on several hundred WW II patients at Mason General Hospital. Then onto Vietnam and PTSD, and related issues of “Invisible Wounds of War” based on a recent one day symposium of the same name.

"Sandusky of To-Day" (when "To-Day" was in 1888)

One of the more fascinating and informative items in the Sandusky Library's collections is the publication, Sandusky of To-Day, published by I.F. Mack & Bro. in 1888. It was designed as a promotional document to encourage people and businesses to settle in Sandusky, but for us today (no hyphen anymore) it is an invaluable historical document that gives an interesting snapshot of local business and commerce during that era. Its full title is Sandusky of To-Day (Historically Reviewed) Its Facilities and Inducements for the Investment of Capital, Comprising Sketches of Its Extensive Fisheries, Its Lumber Interests and Complete Railroad Connections, While Affording All the Advantages of a Lovely Lakeside Residence.

As you can tell from this subtitle, a significant portion of the volume describes local businesses, and gives us a good picture of the dominant industries of the time -- an entire chapter on "our fish interests," for example.

As you can see on the image of page 29, Sandusky was said to be the largest fresh water fish market in the world at that time. It was estimated that 1000-1500 men were employed in the profession, and that 500-600 tons of fish or more per day were harvested.
Other industries and businesses received attention in the book -- "our lumber interests," ice companies, wineries, breweries, tool factories, and many others.

And not surprisingly, much was written about the "Cedar Point Pleasure Resort," "the Coney Island of the West."


Unfortunately, due to its condition, access to the original book is restricted, but for those with a research need, the original document may be used under strict conditions in the Archives Research Center. A digital copy is also available; ask a reference librarian for more information.

The Fox Sisters Orchestra

For the first twenty years of the twentieth century, the Fox Sisters Orchestra provided musical entertainment for Sandusky area events. Pictured are:
Back row: Renata Fox Rheinhardt, Thelca Fox Herbert, Mrs. H. G. Fox, Marcella Fox Mayer
Front row: Coletta Fox, Sylvani Fox Erney and Olivia Fox

Mrs. Helen Bonn Fox was born in Trippstadt, Germany and came to the U.S. when she was four years old. Her husband Henry G. Fox was a dry goods merchant in Sandusky. The couple had a very large family, but Renata, Thelca, Marcella, Coletta, Sylvani, and Olivia were the family members most involved in music. The Fox Sisters Orchestra played at church and hospital charity events, high school commencements, and provided entertainment when Sarah Bernhardt was the featured actress in the 1912 motion picture “Queen Elizabeth.” During the Spring of 1904, the Fox Sisters gave free concerts at Sandusky’s Big Store.

According to her 1943 obituary, which is found in the 1943 Obituary Notebook at the Sandusky Library, Mrs. Helen Bonn Fox taught music for seventy five years. Two of her daughters became nuns. Olivia Fox was Sister Renata, and Angela Fox was Sister Norberta, both with the Sisters of St. Joseph. Miss Coletta Fox, who died on February 10, 1971, taught violin and piano in Sandusky for seventy years. Coletta had also been a member of the Ackley Orchestra.

The Fox Sisters provided local musical entertainment in an era before television, and when radio was in its infancy. They are mentioned in the book The Guitar in America: Victorian Era to Jazz Age, by Jeffrey Noonan. This title is available to borrow through any ClevNet library.

Program Announcement: Through the Lens of Ernst Niebergall (Brown-bag Lunch Series)

Bring your lunch and join us in the Library Program Room as we explore topics in local history. Our next session will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at 12:00 p.m. For more than four decades, local photographer Ernst Neibergall captured daily life in Sandusky and surrounding areas with his fourteen cameras. Niebergall, a German immigrant, carefully composed the photographic gems that today tell the story of the Sandusky of a bygone era. Gil Gonzalez of the Hayes Presidential Center will share with us a selection of Niebergall's work from the Charles E. Frohman Collection at the Hayes Center. Registration is requested. To register, call 419-625-3834 and press 0 to speak with a switchboard operator (9-5, Monday-Friday) or press Option 6 to leave a message.

Laura Cooke Barker

Laura Elizabeth Cooke was the daughter of Pitt Cooke and Mary Townsend Cooke. (Pitt Cooke was the brother of Jay Cooke, the Civil War financier.) Laura is pictured above in her wedding dress on December 8, 1886. Laura’s groom, Franklin S. Barker, was a photographer in business with Mr. W. A. Bishop at the time of his wedding. Later Frank worked as an accountant in Sandusky.

Laura Cooke Barker wrote several books . Her first book was entitled A Strange Experiment, published in 1897 by the Philosopher Press of Wisconsin.

Laura’s book of poems, Mezzotints, was also published by the Philosopher Press. The Sandusky Register reported in its April 29, 1900 issue that Laura’s poems were “especially interesting from a psychological standpoint, showing how the mind of the woman of strict orthodox training refines and interprets human desires.” Society Silhouettes, a collection of short stories, was published in Cleveland, Ohio in 1898.

Two of Laura’s later books were published by the Roycrofters, a small handicraft community with a publishing company in East Aurora, New York. Looking Upward was a collection of inspirational verse, published in 1928. The Immutable Law was published in 1921, shortly after the death of Laura’s husband. According to an article which appeared in the October 30, 1921 Sandusky Register, The Immutable Law was “a study of contrasted temperaments upon which play fires of avarice, sorrow, hatred, love, cynicism and lesser passions.” The dedication of this title read: “In undying remembrance of my well beloved husband, Franklin Sydnor Barker, born in spirit and his inheritance of ecstasy eternal on April 3, 1920.” Accompanying this dedication was the Biblical verse, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away, and he that overcometh shall inherit all things.” It appears that Laura devoted herself to her writing, following the death of her beloved husband Franklin.

Mrs. Laura Cooke Barker died on April 30, 1927, following a lengthy illness. She was survived by her sister, Mary Cooke. Laura was buried next to her husband in the North Ridge section of Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.

Letter from Rev. Leverett Hull in 1850

On April 27, 1850, Rev. Leverett Hull wrote a letter to his wife’s parents about the birth of their little girl. At first Rev. and Mrs. Hull were going to name their daughter Belinda, but it turned out they named her Puella Follett Hull, after the name of the daughter of Oran Follett, a dear friend of Rev. Hull. In 1925, the original letter was donated to the historical collections of the Sandusky Library, now the Archives Research Center, by Puella Follett Hull Mason, the little girl whose birth brought such joy to her parents.

Here is a transcript of a portion of the letter:

We are all well at home except Mother, and she is not so unwell but that she has been able to take another boarder. Now as this this boarder is a somewhat remarkable personage. I will try to give you some description of her – she has dark hair and very ruddy complexion and is altogether a fine smart girl, all the neighbors say – Her name is “Belinda Susanah Linda Luta Grindor (or something else) Hull,” youngest daughter of Leverett and Sarah Hull, all of this place. Now don’t be scared about this – because Mother and Belinda are getting along first rate – and Mrs. Bell says Belinda (i.e. Miss Hull)-looks like a baby a week old and we only took her in last Saturday at 7 o’clock in the morning and this is Monday. So she is now just two days old – all this I read with not a little surprise and joy as you doubtless will and made the best of my way home and found it ever so –

Sadly, Rev. Leverett Hull died of cholera on September 3, 1852.
Following the death of Rev. Hull, Mrs. Hull and the children moved to the Cincinnati area. Puella Follett Hull married William L. Mason in 1878. Mrs. Mason wrote two books about genealogy: A Record of the Descendants of Richard Hull of New Haven, Conn. and Lineage of the Tracy Family with Notes of the Lord, Garrett, Russell, and Other Intermarrying Families. Both titles are available full text on Heritage Quest, a database to which the Sandusky Library has a subscription.

To access Heritage Quest, go to the website: www.oplin.org/databases. You will be asked to enter the name your library as well as your Sandusky Library card number. Heritage Quest is available to all Sandusky Library card holders, and is accessible from your home computer.

Wolcott Griswold Moss

The above photograph was taken at the residence of Thomas M. Sloane about 1915. The home, now located at 1415 Columbus Avenue, was first built in the 1840’s, as the residence of Sandusky’s first lawyer, Eleutheros Cooke. The house was dismantled in the 1870’s, and rebuilt a mile down the road. The Cooke House is now a museum, available for tours.

Seated in the Ford Roadster are Rush Richard Sloane, son of Judge Thomas M. and Sarah Cooke Sloane and Wolcott Griswold Moss, son of Augustus L. and Caroline Curtis Moss. Young Rush Richard Sloane was a descendant of one of Sandusky’s Mayors, Rush Sloane and also of Pitt Cooke, brother of Jay Cooke, Civil War financier. Wolcott Griswold Moss’s grandmother, Mrs. J. O. Moss was the person who successfully persuaded Andrew Carnegie to provide funds towards the building of the Sandusky Library.

Sadly, on August 3, 1915, Wolcott Griswold Moss was killed in an automobile accident in Lyme, Connecticut. He was buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery. The funeral for Wolcott Griswold Moss took place at the residence of Thomas M. Sloane.

Homer Goodwin, Attorney and Conductor on the Underground Railroad

In 1896, Homer Goodwin was the oldest practicing attorney of the Erie County Bar. He was born on October 15, 1819 in Burton, Ohio in Geauga County, the son of Doctor Erastus Goodwin. Before entering the practice of law, Homer Goodwin was a teacher in the public schools of Sandusky, and was an 1844 graduate of the Western Reserve College. He married Marietta Cowles on October 3, 1849, in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Rush Sloane wrote in the July 1888 issue of the Firelands Pioneer that Homer Goodwin was a conductor on the Underground Railroad in Sandusky. He was among a group of individuals who gave money and personal aid to help fugitive slaves escape to freedom. A brochure which gives details about the Underground Railroad in Sandusky, available from the Lake Erie Shores & Islands Visitors Center, lists the former home of Homer Goodwin, at 327 Hancock Street, as a “safe house” for those individuals seeking freedom via the Underground Railway.

On July 6, 1896, Homer Goodwin died suddenly at his home on Columbus Avenue in Sandusky. A physician was called to his assistance, but nothing could be done, and he died at 6:15 a.m. The funeral for Home Goodwin was held at his residence on July 8, 1896. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery. Mr. Goodwin was survived by his brother Lewis H. Goodwin, a judge of Erie County Probate Court; a sister, Mrs. Ross of Wabash, Indiana, and a daughter, Mrs. Denver J. Mackey.

The Follett House Museum owns a suit that once belonged to Homer Goodwin.