The Clown in the Free Ground

By Kelli Huggins, Education Coordinator
 

A homemade grave marker in the free ground

Our 2016 Woodlawn Cemetery Ghost Walk ended in a little-known part of the cemetery: the free ground or Potter’s Field. Many of those in the free ground were destitute and their families could not afford a private plot. Others outlived all of their family, leaving no one to make arrangements. Some were simply unidentified. For Ghost Walk, I researched some of the people buried there using the clues I could find with the help of the staff at Woodlawn Cemetery. This was understandably hard to do. Still, I found some information and with beautiful staging and performances by the Elmira Little Theatre, the stories of some of the inhabitants of the free ground were brought to light (you can read the script from that night here). But there was one story I found that we didn’t tell that night. I’ll share it with you now.

Hiram Day was born in his family home along the Newtown Creek in the late 1830s. At age 10, he ran away from home to work in a hotel in Syracuse. He was not long for the hotel business, because soon after arriving, he found work with a circus. Young Hiram traveled around the country and South America with the troupe.

Pittsburgh Gazette, July 1848

He next joined Dan Rice’s famous show, where he was highly regarded for his impersonation, equestrian, and acrobatic skills. He skipped around from company to company, later even performing on a Mississippi River boat. He worked in the circus for 40 years. 

Ohio Democrat, June 12, 1863

That, however, was the high point of Hiram Day’s life, because as one newspaper put it, “Hi Day had made and spent a fortune.” After moving back to Elmira at the end of his career, he was left with little money and even less family. Although he was twice married and said he had a son down south, his wives were dead by then and his son seemed not to care. Hiram repeatedly said his son would come help him out. That never happened. 

By 1895, “Hi” was far from his former glory and resorted to eking “out an existence as a ‘human sandwich’ for the ‘Budget.’ That is he wears a board over his breast and back, advertising the special features the next issue of the paper will contain.” Rheumatism had left him crippled, with his feet particularly affected. 

Hi Day died on July 16, 1897 at home of his brother Stephen Day at 608 Magee Street. He had been sick with pneumonia for 4 days before he expired. The Elmira Gazette published a sympathetic obituary that discussed his glory days in the circus, but ended with:

“In striking contrast to this picture of a dashing, strikingly-costumed young man with plenty of money in his pockets, is the familiar sight of the poorly-clad, bent old man hobbling along Water Street, asking for alms.”

Hiram Day was buried in the free ground at Woodlawn. His grave is unmarked. 

A section of the free ground at Woodlawn

Charles Bradley: Chemung County's (and the World's?) Tallest Man

by Kelli Huggins, Education Coordinator

Awhile ago, faithful CCHS volunteer Kristen (you can read about her awesome work here) told me about something interesting she found while working with our collections.  It was a brief article transcribed from the Star Gazette in 1926 about a man named Charles Bradley.  At that time, Bradley was reported to be the tallest man in Chemung County and the second tallest in the United States.  His height was said to be 7' 4" (although some reports claimed he was upwards of 7' 7").  Given my long-standing interest in all things historical oddities/travelling show/spectacle/performance (which you can read about here, here, here, here, here, or here), I just had to know more.

Charles Bradley was born in Antrim, PA around 1892.  There isn't much information about the family other than they were farmers and that they were all tall.  Really tall.  John Bradley, Charles' father, was somewhere between 6' 9" and 7' 1" tall.  His seven brothers and sisters all measured over 6 feet tall.  One brother, Henry, was reported to be almost as tall as Charles.  Bradley's mother, however, was only 5' 6."

Bradley's height brought him considerable attention and fame.  In 1909, the then 17 year old and 7' 2" Bradley signed a contract to tour with the Barnum and Bailey Circus for a season that began in Champaign, Illinois in May of that year.  This was allegedly not his first offer to join show business.  Barnum and Bailey featured Bradley as the "Tallest Boy in the World" and made him wear a "Little Lord Fauntleroy" costume.  He was exhibited next to the "World's Smallest Woman."       

Headline from 1909 when Bradley signed with Barnum and Bailey.  They incorrectly report his age as 19 here (he was 17).

He was still touring the country in 1911, although he was likely not still working for Barnum and Bailey.  He billed himself as the tallest man in the world, although this was likely untrue.  Bradley always wore his signature Uncle Sam costume, which "accentuated" his height.  He cause quite a stir in New Ulm, Minnesota while on tour, walking down the town's streets in his Uncle Sam outfit.  The local newspaper reported that the hotel even had to give him a special bed that was open at the foot so he would fit.  According to the report, he was in town to advertise a brand of tobacco.

Bradley left show business by the 1920s.  He reportedly got "tired of the life" and decided to try "industrial pursuits" instead.  During this time, he lived in Corning, Elmira, and Elmira Heights.  He did still get special recognition for his height.  For example, he was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose, and he was considered to be the tallest member of that fraternal organization in the world.  He participated in Moose parades and events, often marching with Marguerite Morgan of Elmira, who at 40" tall, was believed to be the smallest Mooseheart member.

Notice of an appearance in 1927.

I'm not sure what happened to Bradley after the 1920s.  Presumably, he tried to live his life as normally as possible.  I'm not surprised that Bradley left show business.  People have a long, nasty history of exploiting people with physical differences for entertainment.  We don't know much about the circumstances that led to Bradley joining the circus, but an article from 1909 contains some language that makes me wonder how much of this was his idea and how much was his family's.  According to the article, Bradley was to be "turned over to the managers" and would be "sent to join the circus."  The report also stated, "This is the first time Bradley has submitted to becoming an exhibit."  Bradley apparently hadn't been able to do much manual labor on the farm due to his unusually rapid growth.  Perhaps, joining the circus was the way that he could best help support his family.  Whatever, his reasons for joining the circus, he was lucky that he was able to leave when "he got tired of the life."  Not all performers and "exhibits" could.