James Anthony Bailey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Anthony Bailey
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| Born |
James Anthony McGinnis
July 4, 1847 |
| Died | April 11, 1906 (aged 58) |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York |
| Other names | James A. Bailey (professional title) |
| Known for | Co-founder of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Managing Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Louisa McCaddon
(m. 1868) |
James Anthony Bailey (born James Anthony McGinnis on July 4, 1847 – died April 11, 1906) was a famous American circus owner and manager. He helped create some of the biggest circuses in the 1800s, like The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. He was known for his amazing skills in organizing and managing huge shows.
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Early Life and Big Dreams
James Anthony McGinnis was born in Detroit, Michigan on July 4, 1847. When he was young, he faced tough times. His father died in 1849, and his mother passed away in 1855. This meant James became an orphan.
After his parents died, James went to live with his older sister, Catherine Gordon. Life with her was not easy. When he was around 12 or 13 years old, James ran away from home.
He found work on a farm near Pontiac, Michigan. But farm life wasn't for him. So, he moved to Pontiac and got a job at the Hodges House Hotel.
While working at the hotel, James met Colonel Frederic Harrison Bailey. Colonel Bailey was a relative of an early circus pioneer. He worked for a traveling circus, helping to promote it. Colonel Bailey hired James as his assistant. They traveled together for many years. James eventually took on Colonel Bailey's last name, becoming James A. Bailey.
Life Under the Big Top
When he was 16, James left the circus world for a short time. He worked as a clerk for a sutler during the American Civil War. A sutler was someone who sold supplies to soldiers.
In 1866, after the war ended, James returned to the circus. He worked for Bill Lake, who owned his own circus with his wife, Agnes Thatcher Lake. During this time, James met Ruth Louisa McCaddon. They became friends, fell in love, and got married in December 1868.
The next year, Bill Lake was sadly killed. After his death, Agnes Lake became the first woman in the United States to own a circus. She later married the famous gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok.
Partnering with P.T. Barnum
James Bailey later teamed up with James E. Cooper. By the time he was 22, James Bailey was already managing the Cooper and Bailey circus. His talent for managing big shows was clear.
Then, he met P. T. Barnum, a very famous showman. Together, they decided to combine their shows. In 1880, they created the famous Barnum and Bailey's Circus. Their first big show opened in the spring of 1881 at Madison Square Garden.
Barnum was the public face of the circus. He loved being in the spotlight and announcing himself to the crowd. But James Bailey was the quiet, hard-working businessman behind the scenes. He preferred to stay out of sight. Barnum himself once wrote that James managed the show "ten times better than I could."
Josie Demott Robinson, a circus performer, wrote that Barnum was the advertiser who loved attention. But Mr. Bailey was the businessman who was happy to be invisible. He cared only about the show's success.
A Master of Organization
Many people thought James Bailey was a genius at organizing. He was incredibly skilled at moving people, animals, and equipment. His methods for transporting the huge circus were so good that even armies from other countries copied them!
He also hired Pinkerton Detectives to travel with the show. Their job was to protect circus-goers from thieves and tricksters.
James Bailey also started "Orphan Day." This was one special day each year when orphans could attend the circus for free. He was often seen carrying children who couldn't walk into the circus tent. He would find them a safe seat away from the big crowds.
After Barnum passed away in 1891, James Bailey continued to manage The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. In 1894, he also took on the management of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
A Lasting Legacy
James Bailey died in 1906 at the age of 58 after an illness. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.
His wife later sold the circus to the Ringling brothers in 1907. The Ringling brothers eventually combined their own circus with Barnum & Bailey's in 1919. This created the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Earl Chapin May, who wrote a book about the circus, said that few circus owners were mourned as much as James A. Bailey. An employee named Harrison Gunning kept a photo of James Bailey in his scrapbook. Taped beneath it was a note that read, "P.T. Barnum was the great showman, but Mr. Bailey was the supreme of all circus managers, past and present."
James A. Bailey was honored for his contributions to the circus world. He was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1960. He was also added to the Circus Ring of Fame in Sarasota, Florida in 1990.
