Tom Thumb

Tom Thumb, real name Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-83), American entertainer, who was a curiosity due to his size. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Tom Thumb was a dwarf. His parents were of usual size, and he himself appeared average until seven months of age, when his rate of growth became minimal. At four years of age he was 63.5 cm (25 in) tall and weighed about 7 kg (about 15 lb). In 1842 the American showman Phineas T. Barnum exhibited Tom Thumb at Barnum's American Museum, a showcase for curiosities in New York City. From 1844 to 1847 he was shown in England and other European countries. He grew to be about 102 cm (40 in) tall and weighed about 32 kg (70 lb). In 1863 he married Lavinia Warren, a woman of similar stature, and together they toured the U.S. and other countries.