Call Number
CWM Mss 28
Title
Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus, Papers, 1896-1911 Bulk (1910-1911) (2.2 c.f. 7 boxes)
History
The Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus was a major American circus that operated from 1896 through 1911. The name of the show was taken in part from Adam Forepaugh (1831-1890) a notable circus proprietor who owned and operated several circus shows from 1865 until his death1890 and was a major competitor of P.T. Barnum and Ringling Brothers. After his death Forepaugh’s circus was purchased by James A. Bailey, and was operated as an independent show for three years. In 1894 Bailey leased the Forepaugh name to two circus proprietors, Joseph T. MacCaddon and James P. Anderson who used the name as the title of a one ring circus but with limited success. The title was temporarily retired in 1895 but in 1896 Bailey entered into partnership with the Sells Brothers, (Ephraim, Lewis and Peter Sells) formed the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus. In 1898 Ephraim Sells, the eldest of the three brothers, died and W.W. Cole (a part owner of the Barnum and Bailey Circus) became the new fourth partner in the show. This partnership lasted until 1904 when Peter Sells died and Lewis Sells and W.W. Cole sold their interest to James Bailey.
A combination of financial troubles and internal problems amongst the revolving lineup of owners constantly plagued the show. In 1905 Bailey, by then the sole proprietor of the circus, set up an auction of the show’s equipment but ended up purchasing everything back and sold half of the interest to the Ringling Brothers. A year later after Bailey’s death the Ringling’s acquired complete ownership of the show from Bailey’s widow. For a brief time the circus operated out of the Ringling Brothers winter quarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin but was pulled off the road for the 1908-1909 season. In 1910 the title was revived by the brothers but for a year only. The circus toured for the last time in 1911.
Scope and Content
The collection is arranged alphabetically and comprises primarily of business records from the final years of the circus (1910-1911) when it was under full ownership of the Ringling Brothers. Earlier years of the show are represented in the collection but only to a limited extent. In addition to business records the collection contains legal settlements for an incident in Burlington, Vermont, news clippings, and various ephemera including a handbill printed in Chinese for a show in San Francisco and a baseball team score card. Also found in the collection is a letter to the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1951 providing a history of the elephants associated with the show.
Container List
Box Folder
Box 1 Folder 1 Auction Catalogue, 1905
Box 1 Folder 2 Bailey-Ringling purchase agreement, 1906
Box 1 Folder 3 Baseball team score card, 1905
Box 1 Folder 4 Billboard article, April 30, 1910
Box 1 Folder 5 Bill posters general file, 1898-1911
Box 4 Vol. 1 Bill Posters Ledger 1911
Box 1 Folder 6 Blank stationary
Box 1 Folder 7 Chinese Handbill, 1896
Box 1 Folder 8 Correspondence, 1896-1911
Box 1 Folder 9 Deposit note, Jones, J. Augustus, 1906
Box 1 Folder 10 Dailey bank deposits, 1906
Box 1 Folder 11 Elephants with Forepaugh-Sells Shows 1896-1898 [1951 letter]
Box 1 Folder 12-33 Employment contracts, 1910
Employee roster ledgers
Box 4 Vol. 2 1910
Box 5 Vol. 3 1910-1911
Box 5 Vol. 4 General department receipts ledger 1907
Box 1 Folder 34 Labor contracts, 1911
News clippings
Box 1 Folder 35 1895-1907
Box 1 Folder 36 1910-1911
Box 1 Folder 37 Opening performance write-ups, 1904-1911
Box 1 Folder 38 Parade lists, 1903-1905
Box 1 Folder 39 Pay record for William King
Box 2 Folder 1-22 Payroll records 1905-1906
Box 5 Vol. 5 Payroll Ledger 1911
Box 2 Folder 23 Performer’s tournament list, 1900
Box 2 Folder 24 Performer’s trunk rules, undated
Box 3 Folder 1-20 Receipts 1905-1905
Box 3 Folder 21 Releases for cases at Burlington Vermont, 1907
Box 6 Vol. 6 Workingmen’s time book 1911
Box 7 Vol. 7 Workingmen’s time book 1910
Box 3 Folder 22 Salary List Season, 1905
Box 3 Folder 23 Settlements made by George Steele, 1907
Box 3 Folder 24 Surplus Property Sale, 1911
Box 3 Folder 25 “The Organization of a Modern Circus,” Cosmopolitan Magazine, 1902
Box 3 Folder 26 Vehicles, 1902
CWM Mss 28
Title
Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus, Papers, 1896-1911 Bulk (1910-1911) (2.2 c.f. 7 boxes)
History
The Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus was a major American circus that operated from 1896 through 1911. The name of the show was taken in part from Adam Forepaugh (1831-1890) a notable circus proprietor who owned and operated several circus shows from 1865 until his death1890 and was a major competitor of P.T. Barnum and Ringling Brothers. After his death Forepaugh’s circus was purchased by James A. Bailey, and was operated as an independent show for three years. In 1894 Bailey leased the Forepaugh name to two circus proprietors, Joseph T. MacCaddon and James P. Anderson who used the name as the title of a one ring circus but with limited success. The title was temporarily retired in 1895 but in 1896 Bailey entered into partnership with the Sells Brothers, (Ephraim, Lewis and Peter Sells) formed the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. Circus. In 1898 Ephraim Sells, the eldest of the three brothers, died and W.W. Cole (a part owner of the Barnum and Bailey Circus) became the new fourth partner in the show. This partnership lasted until 1904 when Peter Sells died and Lewis Sells and W.W. Cole sold their interest to James Bailey.
A combination of financial troubles and internal problems amongst the revolving lineup of owners constantly plagued the show. In 1905 Bailey, by then the sole proprietor of the circus, set up an auction of the show’s equipment but ended up purchasing everything back and sold half of the interest to the Ringling Brothers. A year later after Bailey’s death the Ringling’s acquired complete ownership of the show from Bailey’s widow. For a brief time the circus operated out of the Ringling Brothers winter quarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin but was pulled off the road for the 1908-1909 season. In 1910 the title was revived by the brothers but for a year only. The circus toured for the last time in 1911.
Scope and Content
The collection is arranged alphabetically and comprises primarily of business records from the final years of the circus (1910-1911) when it was under full ownership of the Ringling Brothers. Earlier years of the show are represented in the collection but only to a limited extent. In addition to business records the collection contains legal settlements for an incident in Burlington, Vermont, news clippings, and various ephemera including a handbill printed in Chinese for a show in San Francisco and a baseball team score card. Also found in the collection is a letter to the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1951 providing a history of the elephants associated with the show.
Container List
Box Folder
Box 1 Folder 1 Auction Catalogue, 1905
Box 1 Folder 2 Bailey-Ringling purchase agreement, 1906
Box 1 Folder 3 Baseball team score card, 1905
Box 1 Folder 4 Billboard article, April 30, 1910
Box 1 Folder 5 Bill posters general file, 1898-1911
Box 4 Vol. 1 Bill Posters Ledger 1911
Box 1 Folder 6 Blank stationary
Box 1 Folder 7 Chinese Handbill, 1896
Box 1 Folder 8 Correspondence, 1896-1911
Box 1 Folder 9 Deposit note, Jones, J. Augustus, 1906
Box 1 Folder 10 Dailey bank deposits, 1906
Box 1 Folder 11 Elephants with Forepaugh-Sells Shows 1896-1898 [1951 letter]
Box 1 Folder 12-33 Employment contracts, 1910
Employee roster ledgers
Box 4 Vol. 2 1910
Box 5 Vol. 3 1910-1911
Box 5 Vol. 4 General department receipts ledger 1907
Box 1 Folder 34 Labor contracts, 1911
News clippings
Box 1 Folder 35 1895-1907
Box 1 Folder 36 1910-1911
Box 1 Folder 37 Opening performance write-ups, 1904-1911
Box 1 Folder 38 Parade lists, 1903-1905
Box 1 Folder 39 Pay record for William King
Box 2 Folder 1-22 Payroll records 1905-1906
Box 5 Vol. 5 Payroll Ledger 1911
Box 2 Folder 23 Performer’s tournament list, 1900
Box 2 Folder 24 Performer’s trunk rules, undated
Box 3 Folder 1-20 Receipts 1905-1905
Box 3 Folder 21 Releases for cases at Burlington Vermont, 1907
Box 6 Vol. 6 Workingmen’s time book 1911
Box 7 Vol. 7 Workingmen’s time book 1910
Box 3 Folder 22 Salary List Season, 1905
Box 3 Folder 23 Settlements made by George Steele, 1907
Box 3 Folder 24 Surplus Property Sale, 1911
Box 3 Folder 25 “The Organization of a Modern Circus,” Cosmopolitan Magazine, 1902
Box 3 Folder 26 Vehicles, 1902