Lavinia Warren Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lavinia Warren
Warren by Mathew Brady
Born	Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump 1841 Middleborough, Massachusetts, United States
Died	November 25, 1919 (aged 77–78) Middleborough, Massachusetts
Resting place	Mountain Grove Cemetery, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Nationality	American
Other names	Lavinia Warren
Occupation	Entertainer
Employer	P. T. Barnum
Height	32 in (81 cm)
Spouse(s)	Charles S. Stratton (1863-1883, his death) Count Primo Magri (1885-1919, her death)
Children	None
Parent(s)	James Bump and wife
Relatives	Minnie Warren (sister)

Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump (born October 31, 1841 – died November 25, 1919) was an American entertainer. She was famous for her small size. Lavinia was the wife of Charles S. Stratton, also known as General Tom Thumb. He was the main star of P. T. Barnum's American Museum in New York City.

Early Life of Lavinia Warren
Joining P. T. Barnum's Museum
Meeting General Tom Thumb
A Famous Wedding
Later Life and Legacy
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Early Life of Lavinia Warren

Lavinia Warren was born in Middleborough, Massachusetts. She was born to James Bump and his wife. Lavinia stopped growing when she was about 10 years old. As an adult, she was 32 inches (about 81 cm) tall and weighed 30 pounds (about 13.6 kg). She was perfectly formed and healthy.

Lavinia had seven siblings. Her sister, named "Minnie," was even smaller than Lavinia. Lavinia's family history included famous people like William the Conqueror and some of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

When she was a teenager, Lavinia taught school for a short time in Middleborough. Later, she began performing. She appeared as an exhibit in a relative's "floating palace of curiosities." This was a showboat that traveled on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

Joining P. T. Barnum's Museum

The famous American showman P. T. Barnum heard about Lavinia Warren in 1862. He invited her and her parents to visit him at his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Barnum was very impressed by Lavinia. He described her as "a most refined and intelligent young lady." He also said she was "well educated, and an accomplished, beautiful and perfectly developed woman in miniature."

Barnum hired Lavinia to perform at his American Museum in New York City. Before her first show, she lived quietly with one of Barnum's daughters. Barnum prepared a wonderful collection of clothes and expensive jewelry for Lavinia. When she made her first appearance, she became an instant hit with the public.

At the museum, Lavinia was shown alongside Commodore Nutt. He was another little person who was a few years younger than her. Commodore Nutt became very fond of Lavinia. However, Lavinia saw him only as a "nice little boy" and a friend. Barnum once gave Lavinia a ring that didn't fit. He suggested she give it to Nutt while he got her another. When she gave the ring to Nutt, he thought it was a sign of her love. This made Lavinia feel a bit uncomfortable, as she didn't want to hurt his feelings but also didn't want to encourage him romantically.

Meeting General Tom Thumb

Lavinia was very popular at Barnum's Museum. She earned $1,000 a week for her performances. She was almost as famous as General Tom Thumb, who was Barnum's biggest star. Her performances brought in $3,000 a day for the museum.

Lavinia first met Charles S. Stratton, also known as General Tom Thumb, in 1861.

A Famous Wedding

Lavinia and Charles S. Stratton were married on February 10, 1863. Their wedding took place at Grace Episcopal Church in New York City. About two thousand people attended their wedding. This included many of the most famous people of that time.

After their wedding, they went on a "round the world" honeymoon. During their travels, they met important people. They met the Lincoln family in Washington, D.C.. They also met Queen Victoria in London. Barnum created a story that the couple had a baby. He even used photographs to make it seem real. However, Lavinia was not able to have children.

Later Life and Legacy

Lavinia and Charles traveled widely, performing around the world. They returned to work for Barnum again in 1881. Sadly, Charles (Tom Thumb) died in 1884. This left Lavinia without money and feeling very sad.

On April 6, 1885, Lavinia married again. Her second husband was Count Primo Magri. He was an Italian miniature person who had come to America to find success.

The couple continued to tour and perform. They also appeared at Lilliputia, which was also known as Midget City, on Coney Island. In 1911, Lavinia met United States President William Howard Taft. She often proudly said that she had met President Lincoln and every president after him. Lavinia died in Middleborough in 1919.