P T Barnum

Phineas Taylor Barnum was an American circus pioneer and politician. He began his career in small retail businesses in Connecticut, ran his own shop at an early age, sold lottery tickets and founded a newspaper. After his marriage and a move to New York, he entered the entertainment business. As a politician, he campaigned against slavery and alcoholism. He also donated substantial sums to research institutions and gave Tufts College in Medford, Massachusetts, the Barnum Museum of Natural History.