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P. T. Barnum
(Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut from 1875 to 1876)
Birth Year: 1810
Birthplace: Bethel, Connecticut, United States
Died: April 7, 1891
Phineas Taylor Barnum was a prominent American showman, businessman, and politician renowned for promoting hoaxes and establishing the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He delved into the entertainment industry through diverse endeavors, such as owning a museum that displayed hoaxes and unusual human exhibits. Barnum also oversaw the American tour of opera singer Jenny Lind. Despite encountering financial difficulties, he rebounded by delivering lectures, holding a position in the Connecticut legislature, and serving as the mayor of Bridgeport. His circus enterprise, founded later in life, brought him lasting renown.