A grey base metal token. One side of the medal shows a relief of Charles S. Stratton and M. Lavinia Warren, with Warren holding a baby. Medallion reads "General Tom Thumb, born Ja. 4, 1838, his wife born Oct. 31, 1842 and daughter born Dec. 5, 1863." The back shows an image of Stratton's miniature carriage being pulled by two ponies and featuring two footmen. It gives a very brief description of Stratton's physical self. This is a piece of marketing and selling of the couple, as Charles and Lavinia never had a biological child. Rather, they would borrow a child to pose as their own while on tour. Charles S. Stratton (January 4, 1838- July 15, 1883), known as General Tom Thumb, was an entertainer and Bridgeport Conn. native who got his start with P.T. Barnum in 1842. Stratton's parents signed him with Barnum at age 4, as exhibiting those with dwarfism was lucrative at the time. Stratton took quickly to performing, and he entertained audiences worldwide, including nobility such as Queen Victoria. Stratton married fellow performer M. Lavinia Warren and the two had a happy marriage. Stratton's performances brought him renown as a celebrity, perhaps one of the biggest at the time, and he and Warren were able to live comfortably when not working. On July 15, 1883, Stratton suffered a stroke and passed away. He is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his wife beside him. Mercy Lavinia Warren nee Bump (October 31, 1842-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. Unknown creator, 1864.
