Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 -- April 7, 1891)P. T. Barnum was an American showman known for his entertaining hoaxes and for founding the circus now known as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Barnum was significantly involved in the politics of slavery prior to the American Civil War. Barnum served two terms in the Connecticut legislature starting in 1865. He lost a campaign for the United States Congress in 1867. In 1875, Barnum was elected mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut for a one year term. He was also instrumental in starting Bridgeport Hospital and served as its first president. He was the author of: The Life of P.T. Barnum: Written By Himself, 1855; The Humbugs of the World, (1865); Struggles and Triumphs, or Forty Years' Recollections of P.T. Barnum, 1869; Art of Money-Getting, or, Golden Rules for Making Money, 1880. Non-fiction |