James Anthony Bailey

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Anthony_Bailey

James Anthony Bailey (July 4, 1847 – April 11, 1906), born James Anthony McGinnis, was an American circus ringmaster and impresario.

Life and career

Orphaned at the age of eight, James Anthony McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Frederic Augusta Bailey (a nephew of circus pioneer Hachaliah Bailey) as a teenager. Bailey gave McGuiness a job as his assistant and the two traveled together for many years. James Anthony eventually adopted Bailey's surname to become James A. Bailey. Bailey later associated with James E. Cooper and, by the time he was 25, he was manager of the Cooper and Bailey circus. He then met with P.T. Barnum and together they established Barnum and Bailey's Circus (for which Bailey was instrumental in obtaining Jumbo the Elephant) in 1881. In 1919, Barnum and Bailey's joined with the Ringling Brothers to form the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. James Anthony Bailey was married to Ruth McCaddon of Zanesville, Ohio. He died of erysipelas.

Birth: Jul. 4, 1847 Detroit Wayne County Michigan, USA Death: Apr. 11, 1906 Mount Vernon Westchester County New York, USA

Circus Showman. Along with Phineas T. Barnum, he helped found Barnum and Bailey Circus, which became known as "The Greatest Show On Earth". In 1872, he partner with Philadelphian James E, Cooper to form "Cooper and Bailey's Circus", and toured the United States, Java, New Zealand and South America. In 1873 Cooper died and James Bailey soon joined up with Barnum. They toured for several years until Barnum died in 1891. Bailey took over the circus the same year and it made several triumphant trips around the world under his leadership. In 1906 he died and the circus company soon became part of the Ringling Brothers Company. It is known to this day as the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Family links:

Spouse:

 Ruth Louisa McCaddon Bailey (1846 - 1912)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery Bronx Bronx County New York, USA Plot: Larch Plot GPS (lat/lon): 40.88941, -73.87443