Valley Girl Views: When P.T. Barnum Got His Start With A "Local " Showman

For nearly a decade, each year in August the Miltonian printed, under Historical Notes, 1860 - Colonel Hugh Lindel [Lindsay] the noted showman and formerly of this county, died in Berks County, aged 56 years"

Ah, a showman! How interesting. Let me see what I can find about him. And in my very first search:

"In 1831 when he [P.T. Barnum] was working in New York for the first time, he fell in with a traveling comedian from Pennsylvania named Col. Hugh Lindsay... Colonel Lindsay left behind a memoir, one of the more explicit portraits of popular amusements in the early nineteenth century. In it he mentions employing "a young man by the name of Barnum, from New York". "

The "Greatest Showman", P.T. Barnum got his start with a local showman. Although Lindsay wasn't truly a "local boy". He did, however, retire to a farm outside of Milton (Chilisquaque Twp), and it was there that he wrote his memoir.

Hugh Lindsay was a famous comedian, circus man, and puppet player, who "so delighted our forefathers and who traversed the lengths and breadths of our eastern counties in the early decades of the nineteenth century". He retired in 1857, settling on a farm just outside of Milton, where he wrote his memoir.

Born in Philadelphia in 1804, he was bound out at the age of 10 to Thomas Goodwin. Hugh's jobs included taking care of the horses, garden, farm, and housework. Of Goodwin, Hugh writes "And a meaner man, I guess, never game from England. But I forgive him if God does." In his memoir, he details some of the treatment, and "strappings" he received, along with accounts of his attempts at revenge, one of which ended with Goodwin falling into the privy and the neighbors needing to dismantle the building to pull him out. (No one knew Hugh was responsible for that one). After 18 months of hard work and continuous lashings with cow hide, Hugh ran off. He made it to a tavern in Bucks County, and from there worked for a variety of families, some mean and cruel, others kind. He lived in fear of Goodwin finding him and dragging him back - as he was still bound to the man.

In September of 1823, Hugh heard of a big show, by Mr John Miller of Allentown, where elephants, lions, tigers, leopards and numerous other animals were to be exhibited. Hugh walked the 14 miles to Quakertown, and here began his career as a showman. That very evening he "got to talking with the showmen" and finding that their clown was out sick, he offered to fill in. But nothing went exactly smoothly for Hugh, and from there he had to go back to the farm where he had been working.

Then he "went up the Susquehanna to Sunbury, and around the country, with a man by the name of Hummel, who was a tinker and pewter-spoon maker."

Before long, Lindsay was back with Miller, working in the circus. Eventually he struck out on his own, with his own show.

In 1840 Lindsay and Barnum became partners in show business. They soon quarreled and separated. Lindsay had a negro boy in his act, "Master Diamond", a dancing prodigy. The boy was quite famous, and when Barnum & Lindsay split, Barnum "got a smart white boy, blackened him, and went along Lindsay's route a few days in advance, exhibiting the 'genuine Mr Diamond", thus reaping the fruits of Lindsay's labors without paying for advertising." Lindsay sued, but the judge in Pittsburgh threw out the case, with snide remarks about "bringing such cases into his court".

In 1857, after "growing old in the circus business", Lindsay moved to a farm just south of Milton. He frequently made trips with his canvas and group of actors, but lived mostly in retirement.

"He became converted during his later life, and after 37 years with the circus, completed his autobiography March 7 1859" - A Reading Newspaper

Lindsay took a deep interest in politics, including campaigning for James Pollack. As for his title of "Colonel", he had joined a militia company in Reading in 1837, and was elected Colonel of the 53rd Regiment.

Col. Lindsay died while on a visit to relatives in Berks County, August 23 1860.

The Miltonian, 1860

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Find More History & Stories Of Milton Here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/04/milton-pa.html

And more more local history and stories from surrounding towns:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html

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