Archive=yes copyright=yes (fair use) source=An Enduring Legacy vol. VII July 25, 1883. "The Circus and Menagerie Parade. This morning the cavalcade of John Robinson's great show paraded the principal thoroughfares of the city. Large crowds congregated at various points on the streets to witness it, and were not disappointed. It was by far the largest and most superb display of the kind ever seen in Utah. The vehicles were not only numerous but fresh and beautiful, while the animals were all neat and trim, some being gaily caparisoned. The costumes of the riders were exceedingly fine, without any of the faded appearance common to ordinary shows. To sum it all up, the exterior exhibition indicates that the show is the best, most fully equipped and complete that has ever visited this Territory."

archive=yes copyright=yes (fair use) source=An Enduring Legacy vol. IV John Hopwood Blazzard was born in Newton, Yorkshire, England, February 26, 1803, a son of Robert Blazzard and Ann Hopwood and the fourth of six children born to that union. John was a man of integrity, stalwart character and great determination, and is said to have been a man of considerable means, possessing much land in England. He was a wheelwright by trade and a workman of unusual ability, but he was also a musician, having played the fife in a circus band in England.

Looking for info regarding my Grandfather Sweeny Hamid (real name Hamido Sirgheney) who was with Slaymen Ali Tumbling Troupe (a.k.a. Gertrude Avery's Boys). They were managed by my Grandfather's cousin George Hamid of Hamid - Morton Circus and also Hamid's Steel Pier in Atlantic City. They performed for many years with the Hamid - Morton Circus and they later went on to performed at the Hippodrome, Madison Square Garden and at the Metropolitan Opera in "The "Bartered Bride". I only know this because I read it in his obit and my mother verified. (My Grandparents had been divorced since my mother was a child and I only saw him 2 or 3 times when I was a baby. My Grandfather died in 1968. If anyone has clippings, pictures, or info regarding my Grandfather or his tumbling troupe and is willing to share I would be very grateful!

If you haven't already, take a look at the page located at http://circusfolk.freeservers.com There is a link there to the page at yahoogroups.com which allows the public upload of files and photos without anyone needing to understand html or ftp technology. If you have photos and other documents please consider posting them up to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Circus-Folk/files/ ******************** I do remember seeing a page recently re: "traveller" families. Maybe a link from Cyndi's list. Either way - travellers, gypsies, and theatre folk are also welcome on this list. BeeP! list admin

Hi Dawn! I think your idea of a webpage is great and now we need to find a member who can and will begin one !! I am not technically competent to do it but I will help as I can. If one looks at the available Travellers/Gypsy (not a term some want us to use!)site it is filled with pictures - wonderful pictures! - that help define the people and their crafts and skills. So I, for two, am excited with your idea! Dick Matteson College Park, MD. [The Circus Museum in Baraboo, WI might be partly online now - I must look and see] On Thu, 29 Mar 2001 12:47:24 -0800 George Wheat <geodawn@soli.inav.net> writes: > My step GGrandfather, Frank McCord, was an actor. He saved a lot of > photos, > playbills, newspaper articles, etc. In his old album, there are > pictures > of little people. I will look to see what I have. I wish someone > would > have a web site where all these fabulous stories of our "unaccepted" > Circus > folk ancestors could be listed along with pictures. Then I would > say that > we all should write up the best and most complete information and > stories > about our talented ancestors and list them on the site. This is all > so > interesting, it could be a book. I read somewhere that 1 out of 10 > people > were in some kind of entertainment or show biz at the turn of the > century. > I think it is wonderful that our ancestors are finally getting > some > recognition and respect and are wanted back in the family . Dawn. > > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & > Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > >

I was just wondering if anyone remembers the Foremans. They were trapeze artist and they were from Bloomington, Illinois. We used to live down the block from them and we would watch them practice their acts. I don't know which circus they traveled with. I just thought someone might remember them. ~Debbie in Central Illinois~

Do you have birth and death information for Hugh McInturff? I may be able to rummage through some Clay County, Orange Park, FL stuff I have. May not help, but you never know. If he died in Florida, we may be able to help out in some way. Linda Carpenter Florida > Hugh Edwin McInturff lived in Clay Co., FL in the 1930's and possibly > later. Hugh, according to his brother, had the Family Bible of John & > Amanda McInturff of Shenandoah Co., VA. Hugh was supposedly married to > MIRIAM, last name unknown, who was a "Circus Lady" and was not > acceptable to the family, thus there was no contact between family > members. I am told that Miraim would not let Hugh share the family > Bible with any of his relatives and since there were no children by this > couple it is unknown where or if the Bible still exists. I'm hoping > someone can give me pointers as to possibly learn about this Bible. > Thanks in advance........Eugene > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog >

Dawn, Some thoughts about your message. I also have a couple of photos that have other circus performers in them that might be of interest to others out there. Do you know much about My Family sites? I think they are password protected so they might not be a good idea. That keeps sensitive material from the public. Might be worth looking into tho. But MSN communities has a site where you can make your own photo album. I have pictures of my various vacations on it. You set up a photo album and who ever you chose can add photos. But not alot of text. It might be an option. Contact rootsweb and see if they have any suggestions. I would love to post these photos, maybe someone out there knows who the people are. have a great day gypsy ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Wheat" <geodawn@soli.inav.net> To: <CIRCUS-FOLK-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 3:47 PM Subject: [CIRCUS-FOLK] Little people in Circus Folk stories > My step GGrandfather, Frank McCord, was an actor. He saved a lot of photos, > playbills, newspaper articles, etc. In his old album, there are pictures > of little people. I will look to see what I have. I wish someone would > have a web site where all these fabulous stories of our "unaccepted" Circus > folk ancestors could be listed along with pictures. Then I would say that > we all should write up the best and most complete information and stories > about our talented ancestors and list them on the site. This is all so > interesting, it could be a book. I read somewhere that 1 out of 10 people > were in some kind of entertainment or show biz at the turn of the century. > I think it is wonderful that our ancestors are finally getting some > recognition and respect and are wanted back in the family . Dawn. > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > >

Hi, Have you tried the Root Surname list? Someone out there just might have your James Spencer listed. Check this out: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?surname Ruth

Does anyone have information on Vernon Liedtke, (Sensational Orton)? He was born in Robinson, ND and died in 1957 in Dallas TX. He is buried at Showman's Rest in Chicago. He was an uncle of my brother-in-law. I have no further information on him except that he was a circus performer and I believe he died in a trapeze accident. Since I am new at this, where would be a good place to look for information on him? Judy _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

I would like to add something to this discussion and ask a question, too: A greatuncle of mine was a riverboat gambler right after the turn of the century. He was sort of the black sheep of the family, strictly because of his occupation and not because of anything illegal he did. Is this the right site to inquire about this occupation? I can't seem to find out anything about riverboat gamblers in general.Were they on a particular boat or on a circuit of ships on a particular river, maybe? did they work for a floating hotel chain? I think this is very interesting and wonder if anyone else has a riverboat gambler in their family? He wasn't a circus performer, but not an entertainer either , although there were probably lots of similar aspects to the job. Anyone....? Lois >From: George Wheat <geodawn@soli.inav.net> >Reply-To: CIRCUS-FOLK-L@rootsweb.com >To: CIRCUS-FOLK-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [CIRCUS-FOLK] Little people in Circus Folk stories >Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 12:47:24 -0800 > >My step GGrandfather, Frank McCord, was an actor. He saved a lot of >photos, >playbills, newspaper articles, etc. In his old album, there are pictures >of little people. I will look to see what I have. I wish someone would >have a web site where all these fabulous stories of our "unaccepted" Circus >folk ancestors could be listed along with pictures. Then I would say >that >we all should write up the best and most complete information and stories >about our talented ancestors and list them on the site. This is all so >interesting, it could be a book. I read somewhere that 1 out of 10 people >were in some kind of entertainment or show biz at the turn of the century. >I think it is wonderful that our ancestors are finally getting some >recognition and respect and are wanted back in the family . Dawn. > > >============================== >Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate >your heritage! >http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

My step GGrandfather, Frank McCord, was an actor. He saved a lot of photos, playbills, newspaper articles, etc. In his old album, there are pictures of little people. I will look to see what I have. I wish someone would have a web site where all these fabulous stories of our "unaccepted" Circus folk ancestors could be listed along with pictures. Then I would say that we all should write up the best and most complete information and stories about our talented ancestors and list them on the site. This is all so interesting, it could be a book. I read somewhere that 1 out of 10 people were in some kind of entertainment or show biz at the turn of the century. I think it is wonderful that our ancestors are finally getting some recognition and respect and are wanted back in the family . Dawn.

Hello Everyone, If no one would mind, I would like to ask a (maybe dumn) question. As far back as I can remember, the only thing that ever attracted me to the circus were the "Little People." They perfomed in shows at all the fairs and almost every circus, then they completely disappeared. They were such fabulous performers, extremely talented and even at the age of 59, I still hold a very special place within my heart for each and every one of them. Does anyone know the performers I'm talking about? Ruth Sickles, Marcine New Jersey

Apologies but I cannot remember if I was ever on this list before! The subject line above gives my interests. Annie Eliza Bovey was my great-grandmother (bareback rider with Sanger's) - her married name eventually was TEMPLE. Her son (my mother's father) born c 1862 went by the names HARRY/HENRY BOVEY/BRAHAM/TEMPLE. On is wedding cert., he put that his father was EDWARD TEMPLE, ACROBAT. In 1862, his mother wouldn't have been married, far as we know. In 1865 she was in Chicago, marrying an Ashbriant Ben Haymen! She was back in London, married to EDWARD COWARD TEMPLE, by 1871. HARRY/HENRY did roller-skating acts with other young people, had a performing goat that used to eat the orange peels on the floor after performances at Astley's Amphitheatre, London. Annie Eliza's parents were costumiers, for Sanger's, for a while. I am trying to find out more about these people. If you've all read this before, excuse it - I just can't recall if I was on this list or not!! I ! have copy photos of Lord George, Wm Batty, and other performers - my uncle had written on the backs of the photos who he thought they were, so I am not 100% positive. Would anyone like to see these pictures? Is anyone interested in Sanger's? Pat Booker, Sharon Floate, are you there? Mary Pattle Hover (Dunedin, FL, ex Stowmarket, Suffolk, England).

Shirley, You have to unsubscribe, then when you want to receive mail again, you subscribe again. To avoid having a full mailbox when you return, I would suggest you unsubscribe for that period of time. Ruth Sickles, Marcine

According to family oral history, my great grandfather, Theodore Wells Dooley, who was born in Virginia in 1847 (this area became West Virginia during the Civil War), joined a circus as a clown, probably sometime after 1867. He also may have worked as a blacksmith and carpenter in the circus. The story is that the circus went broke somewhere in the area of Jasper County, GA and he stayed there, married in 1876 and raised a family there. Are there any records of clowns or circuses that went out of business in the early days? Jim Fazekas jnjfuzzy@mindspring.com

Hugh Edwin McInturff lived in Clay Co., FL in the 1930's and possibly later. Hugh, according to his brother, had the Family Bible of John & Amanda McInturff of Shenandoah Co., VA. Hugh was supposedly married to MIRIAM, last name unknown, who was a "Circus Lady" and was not acceptable to the family, thus there was no contact between family members. I am told that Miraim would not let Hugh share the family Bible with any of his relatives and since there were no children by this couple it is unknown where or if the Bible still exists. I'm hoping someone can give me pointers as to possibly learn about this Bible. Thanks in advance........Eugene

I recently sold a Clyde Beatty Circus story which appeared in the Time magazine, March 29, 1937. I have 10,000 magazines with many circus stories. Thanks, Tom Please contact me privately if you would like to hire me to search. I am retired and make my living in this manner. I am responding to a inquiry I received and do not intend to advertise on this medium. Tom Russell 1607 So. Montreal Ave., Dallas, Texas 75208

Family lore says an Aunt was in the Clyde Beatty Circus. Anyone know any info about this circus? She pretty much lived in California. gypsy

Hello, I am looking for a woman who used to be a trapeze artist, I do not have much to go on. All I really know is that her 22 yr old daughter gave birth to a child in Camden NJ 5/2/45 and gave her up for adoption, the name at birth was Barbara ann Johnston we believe. I have been told that there was a Wortham circus once, who was related to Johnston Family members, does any one know of that? Thank you, Bobbi ***P.S.*** The following links are for my missing family members. The first is for a female born 5/2/45 NJ. And the second is for a male born 9/30/63 NJ. If this might pertain to you please visit my page. Thank you in advance. Bobbi Burton http://community.webtv.net/bobbi-burton/Insearchofmyfamily http://community.webtv.net/bobbi-burton/Insearchofmale