149

Elephant on Parade

A German elephant with folding corkscrew

On April 13, 1796 Jacob Crowninshield

‘

s ship, the America, docked in New York.

Aboard his ship was Big Bett, an elephant from Bengal, India. Big Bett was the

first elephant brought into the United States. Crowninshield sold the elephant to

Hakaliah Bailey (early Barnum & Bailey relative). The elephant summered with

keepers exhibiting it from coast and wintered in Bailey

‘

s barn in Somers, New

York.

Crowninshield had purchased the Pachyderm in India and spent a mere $450.00

to bring the two-year old to America. He first exhibited the elephant on April 23,

1796 at Beaver St. and Broadway. Big Bett was viewed in Baltimore for 50 cents

and later in Philadelphia for only a quarter. The admission was again 50 cents in

Boston in July, 1797 heralded in the paper with

―

The elephant is just arrived in

town and may be seen at Mr. Valentine

‘

s, Market Square... The greatest natural

curiosity ever presented to the public. He so far surpassed all description that has

ever been given him that we shall not attempt it here. Admittance half a dollar.

‖

The price didn

‘

t last for it was dropped to a quarter after a few days of

disappointing attendance at the exhibit.

The last known exhibit of the elephant was in July, 1918 in York, Pennsylvania.