Friday, November 25, 2005

Russell Bros. Circus 1936/ Elephants


This is the elephant herd pictured in Arkadelphia, Ark. on October 31, 1936 "Rubber", "Margaret", "Sadie" and "Elsie".
They had been purchased from Wm. P. Hall over the years and while with Hall in 1927, the last two had been leased to Orton Bros. Circus and delivered by my dad. This is when he first met my mother.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

These items were taken from the Dec. 2,1950 Billboard--
DAILEY ANIMALS GO ON SALE; Obert Miller to handle deals;
MILLS BROS. BUYS POLACK ELEPHANTS
MRS. IDA NORTH SUFFERS STROKE.

Anonymous said...

From the Dec.9,1950 Billboard--
THE FINAL CURTAIN--- Walter L. Main 88, veteran circus operator and prominent in the circus field for 65 years, died Nov. 29 at his home in Geneva, Ohio.

Anonymous said...

From the Dec. 23,1950 Billboard---
Kelly-Miller buys 7 Camels from Dailey
Cole spends 30G on Peru wq work.
Al G. Barnes title subject of lease talk.
Ringling pays final Hartford fire claims.

Anonymous said...

From the Dec. 30,1950 Billboard---
Mr. and Mrs. Dores Miller, of the Kelly-Miller show, have bought a new home across from the K-M quarters. They moved in last week. K-M recently sold a camel to the Jacksonville, Fla. zoo. Counted recently in the K-M bard were 21 elephants, 10 camels and 65 head of horses and ponies.

Anonymous said...

The house The Millers moved into had been DUN ROVIN the home of Kelly Miller. Mrs Miller told me that the house was not a home for her. She liked their little house in town.. She was one sweet lady. We shared gossip over coffee and sugared toast with coffee poured over it. She about fell over in the cook tent when she saw me do this. She thought she was the only person to eat this. I ate my first black eyed peas at their house on New Years eve when JC and I were there. I hated them but ate them anyway as everyone seemed to think they were great. Always remember that when I see a can of those things. Never touched another one. I never liked that house either.

Buckles said...

I think that both Rebecca and were confused over this Billboard article. If Elliott has the date correct the house D.R. was moving into was across from the winter quarters the other direction, toward town where the elephant barns now sands.
He didn't live in DUN ROVIN until after Kelly's death years later.
D.R. allowed us to camp behind this place and each night at 11:00 I would make the 1/4 mile hike down the road to the quarters to check and feed the elephants.

Anonymous said...

Your right again Buckles. The house Obert Miller lived in was down the road and had a barn behind it. Gene and I lived across the street next to your folks, I first met you and barbara there. Didn't Kelly pass on in 59? We trained our baby lions Sarah and Babe in the yard. Mrs Miller 's niece lived in the house at the front of the lot. Her son and Lushana had some kids I think. Jack was the man married to the niece who later married Pete Smith's wife after Pete died. Paton Place had nothing on Hugo.

Buckles said...

Jack Fulton.
When D.R. moved into DUN ROVIN he leased his house to Officer Hadley a State Trooper.
Once Barbara made a couple of pies and Ben (now age 5) on a dark, windy night was instructed to carry one of the pies over to the Hadleys. He returned almost immediately in tears with nothing but an empty pie pan. He was unaware that his mother's big poodle "Robert" was behind him and went "Woof!"
The next morning I could see traces of pie in a tree about 10' overhead.

Anonymous said...

This is the State Trooper who showed me how to load the blanks for the cage act. He gave me the box of empty shells to make them. He wanted Gene to go into the business of makeing masquete Briskets for the bar-b-que business. I don't know if he ever followed up on the adventure, but if he had he would be on easy street for sure. He had moved out before Gene and I moved our truck in the back yard. Next to your folks silver trailer. We kept our lions in an old stone chicken house. They got out every night and in the morning were waiting to play on our steps. The things we remember!!! Now where did I just put my glasses a min ago.

Anonymous said...

This house was across from Oberts. I know his wife Mary had a very strong dislike for me. I worked two poodles either your mom or Obert trained . This was for the Fairyland Circus.

Ryan Easley said...

Buckles,
Is this "Rubber" the one formerly with Forepaugh / Yankee Robinson / etc ? Was she named Maxine at one point ?

Buckles said...

All four of these elephants were imported by Hall in the 1920's.
4-Paw Rubber died with Chrisy in 1928.