Herschel Brown

The brothers Benjamin Brown, Christopher Brown and Herschel Brown, cousins to J. Purdy Brown, were involved with the menagerie business in the early 1820's. Benjamin Brown (1799-1881) worked for Hachaliah Bailey in the exhibition of Little Bet in 1823. He was employed by J.Purdy Brown and Lewis Bailey in 1825, the season that the first canvas tent was introduced. In 1826 Benjamin and Hershel operated the Royal Pavilion Circus, (pavilion - being a euphemism of the time for the canvas tent). Benjamin, Christopher and Hershel operated a circus for their cousin, J. Purdy Brown, in 1828. Brown's company was in South Carolina performing when Charles Wright, another Somers native famed as a lion tamer, came into town with his menagerie troupe. The two companies appeared together, and as it seemed to be successful, they performed the rest of the season together becoming the first traveling combination of a menagerie and circus.