Bound copy of the “Will & Codicils of Phineas Taylor Barnum.” The cover is dark red leather with gold embossed lettering and a decorative border. The contents includes Barnum’s will with the various changes he made to it until his death on April 7, 1891. Barnum's incredible wealth was well-known in the late 1800s, making speculation about his will a popular topic of conversation after his death. As a result, many inexpensive printed copies of Barnum's will were produced to satisfy public interest. This leather bound version is a presentation copy, and seems likely to have been owned by a relative by marriage, Benjamin Fish. The will and codicils not only provide information about Barnum's wealth, but also identify his family members, and give insights into the causes he championed, since several charitable organizations and other causes were bequeathed money. The book was given by B. Fish (Benjamin Fish) to the Bridgeport Scientific Society on March 1, 1892. Fish was related to Barnum's widow, Nancy Fish Barnum. Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum (July 5, 1810 - April 7, 1891) is primarily associated with the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. However, Barnum only began to focus on the circus in 1871. Prior to that he managed the American Museum in New York City from 1842-1868, was an elected official, mayor of Bridgeport, philanthropist, promoter, newspaper editor, and investor, among many, many other things. He promoted an image of himself along with his various ventures, which changed throughout the years, and was a celebrity in his own right. He often depicted himself with a pen and paper, or else sitting at a desk. Barnum is best known today for the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, but his circus ventures did not come about until he was in his early 60s. Prior to that he was the proprietor of the American Museum in New York City from 1842-1868, and had begun his career as a newspaperman. His first circus, in the early 1870s, was called P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Barnum subsequently opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, competition from other circuses increased. A merger between Barnum’s show and the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the circus called Barnum and London. Barnum's partnership with James A. Bailey in 1887 formed Barnum & Bailey, which continued to be managed by Bailey after Barnum's death in 1891. After Bailey's death in 1906, the Ringling Brothers bought Barnum & Bailey and operated it separately from their own circus. In 1919 the two were combined to form Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth. This circus gave its final performance on May 21, 2017.
