1928 American Circus Corporation Illustrated Letterhead

1928 American Circus Corporation Illustrated Letterhead

Description:  Illustrated letterhead from the American Circus Corporation, 35 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Ill. Sells-Floto Circus, Hagenbeck Wallace Circus, John Robinson's Circus. The letter addressed to Mr. Jerry Mugivan and is signed by J.A. Hossack. The letter concerns paying for Donahue's hospital bill. The bottom of the letter has a handwritten note that appears to be from Mr. Mugivan. It states "yes we rec a bill from hospital which Al & W. show is taking care of. I told Mr. Donahue when I was in Chicago that we would take care of him as I know his finicial condition". 

Date: November 20, 1928

Size: 8 1/2 by 11 inches

Condition: The top left corner has several small pinholes.

Mugivan, Jeremiah Joseph (1873 - 1930) Jeremiah Joseph Mugivan was born May 17, 1873, in Knightsville, Indiana. He quit school in 1888 to become a newsboy on trains operating out of the Union Depot in Terre Haute. He and Albert C. “Bert” Bowers and opened the "Great Van Amburgh Shows" in 1904 . In 1907 Jerry purchased an interest in the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus from Benjamin Wallace. John Robinson Shows, Yankee Robinson Circus, Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and Sells-Floto Circus were added in November 1920; Sparks Circus and Al G. Barnes Circus followed.
By 1925 Mugivan’s Peru, Indiania enterprise had 145 rail cars in six circuses, more than Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s sole 90-car “Greatest Show on Earth.” Tom Mix and “Tony, the Wonder Horse” became featured attractions with Sells-Floto Circus in 1929. The rivalry with John Ringling was intense. In early 1929, Mugivan offered to buy out Ringling, but on Sept. 6, Mugivan accepted a counter offer. On Jan. 22, 1930, Jerry died unexpectedly in a Detroit hospital after two hernia surgeries. He was 56.

Mugivan was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1986.