In the winter of 1881-82 some animals associated with the J.H. Murray Circus, Menagerie, Museum & Aquarium wintered on the Magee farm. The farm, which was in Pennsylvania directly across the river from the Fourth Street area, was owned by Christina Magee, widow of Patrick Magee.
John Hayes Murray (1829-1881) began his career as a minstrel in blackface at Barnum's Museum in New York City. He worked as an acrobat and ringmaster for many circuses, starting his own circus in 1872. When his outfit came to Frenchtown in the autumn of '81, it had 100 performers and 23 cages of animals. Murray died of pneumonia in New York City that Dec. 27.
In April of 1882 the Star reported that Murray's show horses and ponies had been shipped out “preparatory to beginning the spring and summertime tour.” The show would go on, although Murray's own personal earthly tour had just been canceled. When the weather got cold again, a much-bigger circus would be wintering on the Magee Farm.
The Frank A. Robbins Circus (1881-1915) wintered there starting in 1882 and ending in 1889. The circus wagons would be brought to Frenchtown to be repaired, repainted and stored for the next season. Most of the personnel went home, but some had to stay to tend the animals.
According to an 1885 report, the circus had 10 elephants, four camels, 50 cages of wild beasts, and 185 assorted ponies, mules, donkeys and horses, one of which had eight feet. Its 320 employees included Zulus, Madame Agnes Hall's brass and reed band of 12 lady musicians, and a troupe of Bedouin Arabs.
An 1887 program features Elena and Linda Jeal as principal equestrienne and hurdle rider; Alna Danjanata, Queen of Hindoo Snake Charmers; Andrew Gaffney, Herculean Cannonball Performer; William Harbeck, Boneless Wonder; Cuponti, Hindoo Juggler; marksman Chevalier Ira Paine; Mlle. DeGranville and Madame Lavely, Iron Jawed Ladies; plus bareback riders, one elephant clown and three human clowns, the 14-piece Perry's Celebrated Military Band, gymnasts, acrobats, a slack-wire performer and the 10-voice Delaware Colored Jubilee Singers.
The circus' sideshow featured Ida Jeffreys, Circassian Queen with Snakes; Madame Turpin, Long Haired Lady; Mademoiselle Aimee, Tattooed Lady; Mademoiselle Loretta, with Performing Birds, Mice and Cat; Professor Logrenia, Royal Magician and Prestidigitator; Alexander Wilson, Ventriloquist with Talking Heads; Zip, the Original “What is it?”; Ashbury Ben, Spotted Boy; and Prof. Jacob's Colored Band.
Although Robbins came from a small town in Indiana, he resided with his family in Jersey City, which may account for why his circus wintered in the snowy North instead of the sunny South.
The 1887 program lists two men who would settle in Frenchtown: William P. Loper, general manager, a bookkeeper and concert-ticket collector; and Charles M. Shields (1854-1917) superintendent of transportation. (See Elephant Man.)
Robbins experienced financial difficulty and had to sell off some of his wild animals and equipment in early 1889, and when the Robbins circus hit the road in April, Robbins was merely the business manager and a Mr. Holmes of Brooklyn was the chief stockholder. That October, while settling in to winter in Middletown, N.Y., the circus sold off a lot of horses. Elisha Opdycke of Frenchtown bought some and brought them back to Frenchtown for resale. Loper left the circus in 1890.
In 1911-12, 41 of the circus' horses and ponies wintered across the river, although by then the place had become the Griffith farm. The circus wagons and other equipment were stored in Frenchtown in the old foundry near the bridge. The Robbins circus went out of business in September of 1915 in Salisbury, Md. Unpaid canvasmen pressed for their wages, and Robbins' financial house of cards fell down. His horses were auctioned off and everything else was shipped to his hometown of Jersey City, and that was the end of the circus.
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