James Anthony (McGinnis) Bailey (1847 - 1906)

James A. Bailey was born on born July 4, 1847 as James Anthony McGinnis in Detroit, Michigan. He was orphaned in his early childhood when his father died when James was two and his mother when he was eight. James was then sent to live in an abusive home. Bailey later stated "instead of being treated as a ward for whom comfortable provision had been made, I was made to work like a dog. On the slightest provocation I was whipped".

At age thirteen James ran away from this home, barefooted and with only the clothes on his back and a broken pocket knife. He found work at a farm, working for $ 3.25 a month with lodging and food.

During this period of working at the farm, young Bailey happened to meet a billposter for "Robinson and Lake's Old Time Circus". James was hired to put up posters for the show, earning him free tickets to the performance.

When the circus came to town, Bailey was introduced to Mr. Robinson; James told him that he was an orphan and wanted to join the show. He was hired and began working hard in an environment that he loved. Robinson liked the young man and soon began treating him as his own son; however three years later Robinson died.

Bailey, then at age sixteen, began working for circus owner James E. Cooper as an advance agent for his show. Again, Bailey worked hard and greatly impressed Mr. Cooper, who eventually made Bailey a partner in the circus. The show was then re-named the "Cooper and Bailey Circus".

In 1868 James married Ruth Louisa McCaddon (1846–1912) , of Zanesville, Ohio.

Later Bailey would become partner with P. T. Barnum and the "Barnum and Bailey Circus" was born, a name that has become iconic for circuses to this day.

Bailey became quite wealthy in the circus business and built a large estate in Westchester County, NY. During his career he supported many charities for orphans, and established an "orphans day" at his circus.

In 1906 Bailey became ill with a skin infection. The infection worsened and a week later, on Wednesday April 11, at 5:15 PM, as his circus was preparing to open in Madison Square Garden, James A. Bailey died in his home in Mount Vernon,NY.

Bailey had spent the last days of his life giving instructions on how his circus was to be run after his death.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF85-JN4 : 12 April 2016), James Mcginnis in household of Hanna Mcginnis, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing family 154, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 21 October 2018, 15:50), entry for James Anthony McGuiness(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L8HR-4XD); contributed by various users.

• https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1906/04/12/101773989.pdf (obituary mentions that he was one of four brothers, who would be named McGinnis)

• http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/owners/jamesbailey.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Anthony_Bailey

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 May 2018), memorial page for James Anthony Bailey (4 Jul 1847–11 Apr 1906), Find A Grave: Memorial #6817434, citing Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, Bronx County, New York, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .