Newspaper: Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Illustrations and feature on Lavinia Warren
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper with illustrations of and a feature on Lavinia Warren The first image features five illustrations of M.... Show moreFrank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper with illustrations of and a feature on Lavinia Warren The first image features five illustrations of M. Lavinia Warren. The one in the center is the largest, and it shows her in a large, dark colored dress with many ruffles. On the left hand side are two ovals showing Lavinia in walking dress and morning dress, and on the right she is seen in opera dress and evening dress. Below Lavinia it reads "Miss Lavinia Warren, the queen of beauty, and the smallest woman in the world - see page 270." The next is the feature article itself. Mercy Lavinia Warren nee Bump (October 31, 1841-November 25, 1919), then Mercy Lavinia Magri, was a well known entertainer during the 1800s. She began her show business career on a river boat, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was profitable at the time. Warren signed with P.T. Barnum at age 21, along with her younger sister Minnie Warren, who also had dwarfism. Later on, Lavinia began to date fellow Barnum performer Charles S. Stratton (General Tom Thumb), and the two eventually wed. They worked and toured together as celebrities, and had a happy marriage. Following Stratton's death, Warren married Primo Magri, an Italian entertainer of a similar stature to Warren, on April 6, 1885. Magri and Warren operated a roadside stand in Middleboro, Mass. Warren died on November 25, 1919, and is buried besides Stratton at Mountain Grove Cemetery. Printed by Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, January 17, 1868. Show less