Charles Sherwood Stratton, born on January 4, 1838, and passed away on July 15, 1883, gained significant renown as “General Tom Thumb” in the world of entertainment under the guidance of circus pioneer P. T. Barnum. Stratton, an American dwarf, achieved great fame for his performances.

In 1863, he made headlines by marrying Lavinia Warren, another person of short stature. The wedding ceremony took place at Grace Episcopal Church, followed by a grand reception held at the Metropolitan Hotel in New York City. The couple greeted approximately 10,000 guests while standing on top of a grand piano. George Washington Morrison (“Commodore”) Nutt, another dwarf performer employed by Barnum, served as the best man, and Lavinia’s sister, Minnie Warren, acted as the maid of honor. President Lincoln received the newlywed couple at the White House after their wedding. Together, Stratton and his wife toured Europe, including British India, specifically the region that would later become Bangladesh.

Under Barnum’s management, Stratton amassed great wealth. He owned a residence in the fashionable area of New York, a steam yacht, and an extensive wardrobe of fine clothing. He even possessed a specially adapted home on one of Connecticut’s Thimble Islands. When Barnum faced financial difficulties, Stratton provided financial assistance and eventually became his business partner. Stratton concluded his final appearance in England in 1878.

In January 1883, a fire broke out at John F. Antisdel’s Newhall House in Milwaukee while Stratton was staying there. This incident, later described by Milwaukee historian John Gurda as one of the most devastating hotel fires in American history, claimed the lives of over 71 people. Fortunately, Tom and Lavinia were saved by their manager, Sylvester Bleeker.

Just six months after surviving the Newhall House fire, Stratton unexpectedly passed away from a stroke at the age of 45. His funeral drew a crowd of over 20,000 attendees. P. T. Barnum purchased a life-sized statue of Tom Thumb and placed it as a gravestone at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, Connecticut. When Lavinia Warren passed away over 35 years later, she was buried beside him, with a simple gravestone bearing the inscription “His Wife.”

Although the cause of Stratton’s extreme short stature, known today as pituitary dwarfism, remained unknown during his lifetime, medical advancements such as X-rays were not discovered until 1895, twelve years after his death. The medical practices of his time were unable to determine the underlying pathology, if any, responsible for his diminutive size.

Stratton received Masonic honors at his burial by Saint John’s Lodge. He became a Master Mason on October 8, 1862, at St. John’s Lodge No. 3 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1863, he attained the Commandery degrees (Masonic Knight Templar) at Hamilton Commandery No. 5 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.