Commodore Nutt (April 1, 1848 – May 25, 1881) was an American entertainer. He was born with the name George Washington Morrison Nutt in New Hampshire. He was very short. In 1861, he was touring New England with a circus when P. T. Barnum hired him to appear at the American Museum in New York City. Barnum gave Nutt the stage name Commodore Nutt, a wardrobe that included naval uniforms, and a miniature carriage in the shape of an English walnut. Nutt became one of the Museum's major attractions.
Nutt was in love with Lavinia Warren, another little person like him, at the American Museum. Lavinia was several years older than Nutt. She thought of him only as a "nice little boy". This in some ways, made Nutt depressed later on in life. She married General Tom Thumb in a spectacular wedding masterminded by Barnum in 1863. Nutt went to the wedding as Thumb's best man. He stayed away from women for a long time after the wedding. In 1879, he married Lilian Elston of Redwood City, California.
Nutt toured the world between 1869 and 1872 with the Thumbs and Lavinia's sister, Minnie Warren. They returned to America rich after performing before royalty. Nutt left Barnum's employ after a disagreement with the showman. He toured with a comic opera company, put together a variety show on the United States West Coast, and operated saloons in Oregon and California. He returned to New York City, and died there of Bright's disease in May 25, 1881.
Birth and family
George Washington Morrison Nutt was born in Manchester, New Hampshire to Major Rodnia Nutt (1810–1875), and his wife Maria (né Dodge) Nutt (1807–1859) of Goffstown, New Hampshire. Rodnia Nutt was a rich farmer, a Manchester city marshal, and a Manchester city councilman.
The Nutts had five children. The first, whose name and sex are not known, was born on 8 December 1837. James Dodge was born on 28 January 1838, and Rodnia, Jr. on 11 October 1840. A daughter, Mary Ann, was born on 22 September 1844. According to Nutt family records, George Washington Morrison was born on 1 April 1848.
Nutt and his wife were "large, hearty folk". Mr. Nutt weighed over . Their sons Rod, Jr. and George Washington Morrison were little people. In 1861, Rod, Jr. was about tall, and George was about . George weighed about .
Ancestry
George's ancestors include William Nutt (1698–1751), a weaver of English ancestry. William left Londonderry, Ulster, Northern Ireland for North America in the early 18th century. He started a family in colonial New England. A part of Manchester was called Nutfield in the early days of settlement. A pond and a road near the pond were named for early Nutt settlers.
P. T. Barnum and the American Museum
Nutt's career as an entertainer may have started in 1854. He may have been a performer with a small circus in Manchester. The circus manager, William C. Walker, once wrote that he had discovered Nutt. He also wrote that he was the first to show him.
Nutt was being exhibited and touring the New England countryside with a manager named Lillie when P. T. Barnum learned of him. Lillie was charging as little as a nickel to see the boy whose education had been neglected. Barnum was disgusted. Lillie knew nothing about exhibiting the boy "in the proper style", as Barnum put it.
Barnum met Nutt in 1861 when the boy visited the American Museum in New York City. In his autobiography, Barnum wrote that Nutt was "a most remarkable dwarf, who was a sharp, intelligent little fellow, with a deal of drollery and wit. He had a splendid head, was perfectly formed, and was very attractive, and, in short, for a 'showman' was a perfect treasure."
Barnum knew Nutt could be a major museum attraction. He hired a lawyer to lure Nutt away from his manager. Following Barnum's orders, the lawyer offered Nutt's parents a large sum of money to sign their son to a five-year contract. He promised them that the boy would be taught to be "a genteel, accomplished attractive little man".
A contract was signed on 12 December 1861. Barnum hired the 13-year-old, 29-inch George and his 21-year-old, 49-inch brother, Rodnia, Jr. The contract required Barnum to give both young men food, clothing, a place to live, and the costs of travel and medical care. Barnum promised to take care of the moral and academic education of the brothers.
Salaries started at US$12 per week with increases every year. The two brothers would each get $30 per week in the fifth and last year of their contract. They would also get 10% from the sales of their souvenir books and photographs, with at least $240 the first year and $440 the last year. At the end of the fifth year, they would receive a carriage and a pair of ponies from Barnum.