| Beasts and Ballyhoo, The Menagerie Men of Somers |
| Town of Somers History |
Charles Wright entered the business in 1822 as an employee of Finch & Bailey in the exhibition of Little
Bet. In 1826 he worked with the Grand Caravan of Living Animals which became Carley, Purdy & Wright
when Wright became one of the proprietors. Their menagerie was a large collection for the time, listing
two camels, a leopard, two panthers (pumas) a Brazilian tiger (jaguar) two llamas, a hyena, an African
lion, a kangaroo, a zebra, a wolf and some smaller animals. On November 21, 1829, an advertisement for
the show appearing in the Pensacola, Florida Gazette stated the Keeper will enter the respective cages
of the lion and lioness/ Referring to Charles Wright, this was the first recorded notice in the United States
of man entering a lion's den, predating the more famous Isaac Van Amburgh, of Fishkill, New York, by
four years.
As noted above, Wright, with the Browns, is also credited with the first recorded instance of a circus and
menagerie traveling and exhibiting together, in 1828 Wright's caravan was also one of the first shows,
circus or menagerie, to advertise seating, in 1830, and the first sizable show to visit many small towns,
due to improved roads and the use of the canvas tent.
In 1828 Charles Wright married Elizabeth Maria Smith, of North Castle. They first resided on a farm in
Goldens Bridge, where their ten children were born. It appears Charles retired from performance, but
retained part ownership in the menagerie. In 1845 Charles purchased the farm in Somers once occupied
by Hachaliah Bailey's family. Charles became a prominent member of the community. He was a director
of the Farmers & Drovers Bank of Somers, served in the New York State Assembly and was a vestryman
of St. Luke's Church. His granddaughter, Caroline Wright, donated her farm and land to the Town of
Somers, who maintains it as a historic site.
Bet. In 1826 he worked with the Grand Caravan of Living Animals which became Carley, Purdy & Wright
when Wright became one of the proprietors. Their menagerie was a large collection for the time, listing
two camels, a leopard, two panthers (pumas) a Brazilian tiger (jaguar) two llamas, a hyena, an African
lion, a kangaroo, a zebra, a wolf and some smaller animals. On November 21, 1829, an advertisement for
the show appearing in the Pensacola, Florida Gazette stated the Keeper will enter the respective cages
of the lion and lioness/ Referring to Charles Wright, this was the first recorded notice in the United States
of man entering a lion's den, predating the more famous Isaac Van Amburgh, of Fishkill, New York, by
four years.
As noted above, Wright, with the Browns, is also credited with the first recorded instance of a circus and
menagerie traveling and exhibiting together, in 1828 Wright's caravan was also one of the first shows,
circus or menagerie, to advertise seating, in 1830, and the first sizable show to visit many small towns,
due to improved roads and the use of the canvas tent.
In 1828 Charles Wright married Elizabeth Maria Smith, of North Castle. They first resided on a farm in
Goldens Bridge, where their ten children were born. It appears Charles retired from performance, but
retained part ownership in the menagerie. In 1845 Charles purchased the farm in Somers once occupied
by Hachaliah Bailey's family. Charles became a prominent member of the community. He was a director
of the Farmers & Drovers Bank of Somers, served in the New York State Assembly and was a vestryman
of St. Luke's Church. His granddaughter, Caroline Wright, donated her farm and land to the Town of
Somers, who maintains it as a historic site.
Gerard Crane (1791-1872) was another early
animal exhibitor. In 1818 he and his brother
Thaddeus traveled the countryside exhibiting a
lion and lioness. In 1826 he and Lewis B. Titus
leased Little Bet, the second elephant owned by
Hachaliah Bailey. They sub-leased to Crane,
June & Co., and during this time the elephant was
shot in Chepachet, Rhode Island, in an incident
similar to that of Old Bet. In 1833 Crane
partnered with Spencer Gregory to form the
menagerie Gregory, Crane & Co, which later
featured a keeper (lion tamer), a female elephant
named Flora, and a seven-hundred-pound polar
bear. Crane formed a combined circus and
menagerie with Edward Eldred, and was part of
the Zoological Institute in 1835, using the title
Zoological Exhibition and American Circus United.
Their company traveled through the small towns
of New Jersey and Long Island, and carried a
museum, probably the first circus to actually call
the assemblage of curiosities and natural history
items by this name.
animal exhibitor. In 1818 he and his brother
Thaddeus traveled the countryside exhibiting a
lion and lioness. In 1826 he and Lewis B. Titus
leased Little Bet, the second elephant owned by
Hachaliah Bailey. They sub-leased to Crane,
June & Co., and during this time the elephant was
shot in Chepachet, Rhode Island, in an incident
similar to that of Old Bet. In 1833 Crane
partnered with Spencer Gregory to form the
menagerie Gregory, Crane & Co, which later
featured a keeper (lion tamer), a female elephant
named Flora, and a seven-hundred-pound polar
bear. Crane formed a combined circus and
menagerie with Edward Eldred, and was part of
the Zoological Institute in 1835, using the title
Zoological Exhibition and American Circus United.
Their company traveled through the small towns
of New Jersey and Long Island, and carried a
museum, probably the first circus to actually call
the assemblage of curiosities and natural history
items by this name.
| Gerard Crane (1791-1872), Ammi Phillips (1788-1865) Portrait, Oil on canvas, 1839 SHS 78.0.7.1 Gift of Mary Crane Johnson |
Gerard Crane returned to Somers, where he became Town Supervisor, 1833-37, and served on the
board of directors of the Croton Turnpike Company and the Farmers & Drovers Bank.(30) He
purchased the Elephant Hotel from Hachaliah Bailey in 1837 but sold it the following year to Hachaliah's
first cousin, Horace Bailey, who was the bank's first president. Gerard Crane and his brother Thaddeus
became associated with June Titus became Town Supervisor, 1833-37, and served on the board of
directors of the Croton Turnpike Company and the Farmers & Drovers Bank.
In 1849 Gerard Crane built the Stone House, described by Charles Culver as a fine large mansion of cut
stone by the side of the turnpike, one mile north of the village. The building is finished in the best
possible manner and presents an imposing appearance...Near the house is a long hipped roofed
building, that is now a barn, but was built for and used as an animal house during the winter seasons.
The house, a mile north of the Elephant Hotel, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Behind the house runs a small stream which appears on an early map as Rhinoceros Creek. Crane is
reputed to have kept a rhinoceros in the barns, which local lore claims to have occasionally escaped
and trotted through town. Crane's great accumulated wealth allowed him to commission portraits of
himself and his wife Roxanna Purdy Crane, by the itinerant portrait painter Ammi Phillips, now
considered one of the foremost early folk art American painters.
board of directors of the Croton Turnpike Company and the Farmers & Drovers Bank.(30) He
purchased the Elephant Hotel from Hachaliah Bailey in 1837 but sold it the following year to Hachaliah's
first cousin, Horace Bailey, who was the bank's first president. Gerard Crane and his brother Thaddeus
became associated with June Titus became Town Supervisor, 1833-37, and served on the board of
directors of the Croton Turnpike Company and the Farmers & Drovers Bank.
In 1849 Gerard Crane built the Stone House, described by Charles Culver as a fine large mansion of cut
stone by the side of the turnpike, one mile north of the village. The building is finished in the best
possible manner and presents an imposing appearance...Near the house is a long hipped roofed
building, that is now a barn, but was built for and used as an animal house during the winter seasons.
The house, a mile north of the Elephant Hotel, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Behind the house runs a small stream which appears on an early map as Rhinoceros Creek. Crane is
reputed to have kept a rhinoceros in the barns, which local lore claims to have occasionally escaped
and trotted through town. Crane's great accumulated wealth allowed him to commission portraits of
himself and his wife Roxanna Purdy Crane, by the itinerant portrait painter Ammi Phillips, now
considered one of the foremost early folk art American painters.