Stratton, Charles Sherwood "Tom Thumb" - Bridgeport, CT

Charles Sherwood Stratton 

"Tom Thumb"

Bridgeport, CT

N 41° 10.315 W 073° 13.481

Charles Sherwood Stratton is known worldwide by his stage name as the entertainer "General Tom Thumb". His grave is located in section 8 of Mountain Grove Cemetery at 215 Dewey St., Bridgeport CT. His grave of  is located in a family plot marked by a large monument with a life-size statue of "General Tom Thumb". The front of the monument is inscribed:

STRATTON

SHERWOOD E. STRATTON,

DIED DEC. 29, 1885,

AGED 44, YEARS.

---

CYNTHIA STRATTON,

HIS WIFE

DIED MARCH 26, 1884,

AGED 74 YEARS 3 M'S.

---

CHARLES S. STRATTON,

DIED JULY 15, 1883,

AGED 45 Y'S 6 M'S 11 D'S.

Inscription

A plaque added to the lower right side of the monument is inscribed:

     THIS MONUMENT IS A MEMORIAL TO

CHARLES S. STRATTON, A NATIVE OF OF BRIDGEPORT,

WHO GAINED WORLDWIDE FAME AS TOM THUMB IN

THE EXHIBITIONS OF P.T. BARNUM. THE LIFESIZE

STATUE WAS ERECTED BEFORE TOM THUMB'S DEATH

ON JULY 15, 1883. IN 1999 VANDALS SMASHED

THE STATUE, IT WAS RESTORED BY THE BARNUM

FESTIVAL SOCIETY AND MOUNTAIN GROVE

CEMETERY ASSOCIATION WITH FUNDS RAISED

                   BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTIQN.
                                                                   NOV.  19, 1961

Inscription

Charles Sherwood Stratton was born in Bridgeport, CT on January 4, 1838. A proportionate dwarf he was of normal size at birth but did not continue to grow normally and only reached height of 3.25' as an adult.

Statue

He was discovered at age five by showman P.T. Barnum who taught him how to how to sing, dance, mime, do impersonations and invented his persona as "General Tom Thumb". Then Barnum took him on a tour of America where he was received with wide acclaim. The next year Barnum on a tour of Europe, where he became an international celebrity.

His 1863 marriage to his fellow performer and little person, Livinia Warren was celebrated as the marriage of the century. During their reception there were 10,000 guests. The couple became very wealthy as performers.

"Tom Thumb" died of a stroke at age 45 and is buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, CT.

Setting