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.
George Washington Morrison Nutt was born in Manchester, New Hampshire to Major Rodnia Nutt (1810–1875), and his wife Maria (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 .
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.
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 went to 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 would start 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.
Once the contract was signed, Barnum started a publicity campaign to prepare the public for Nutt's debut. He let reporters think he was "trying" to hire the little person. When other showmen heard this rumor, they rushed in to offer Nutt's parents huge sums of money to be the first to sign their son.
Barnum was pleased. The publicity created much excitement. In a letter he leaked to reporters, he wrote that he was forced to outbid the competition. The showman claimed to have paid $30,000 to hire the little person. The boy then became known as "The $30,000 Nutt".
Barnum gave the little person the stage name, Commodore Nutt. In addition, he provided Nutt with a wardrobe that included miniature naval uniforms. For the Commodore's jaunts about town, the showman had a little carriage built for him. This carriage looked like an English walnut. The top of the vehicle was hinged. When the top was lifted, the little Commodore could be seen sitting inside.
Nutt's carriage was pulled by Shetland ponies. It was driven around New York by Rodnia, Jr. dressed in the uniform of a coachman. Barnum thought these little trips about town the best form of advertisement. Nutt's carriage is now in the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Commodore Nutt made his debut at Barnum's American Museum in February 1862. He was a great success. Some museum-goers believed they were being "humbugged" by Barnum though. They thought that Nutt was really General Tom Thumb in disguise.
Nutt did look like the Tom Thumb of the past, but Thumb had aged and put on weight over the yearsa fact museum-goers either forgot or ignored. Nutt was a scamp; he took pleasure in the public's confusion, and encouraged the error.
When Nutt debuted, Thumb was touring the American South and West. Barnum wanted to silence those with doubts at the Museum. He asked Thumb to cut his tour short, return to New York, and perform on the same stage with Nutt. Thumb returned to New York.
The little men were billed as "The Two Dromios" and "The Two Smallest Men, and Greatest Curiosities Living." The exhibit opened on 11 August 1862. Despite what their eyes witnessed, some museum-goers still said that Nutt was Tom Thumb in disguise. Barnum wrote, "It is very amusing to see how people will sometimes deceive themselves by being too incredulous."
About two months after his debut, Nutt met with New York City Police Department officers. He applied for and was given a policeman's job. He ordered a uniform. Then he sent a telegram to the officers of the Ninth Precinct telling them that he had just gotten a job on the Broadway Squadwith "extraordinary powers to arrest" people outside the Museum and to "take [them] upstairs".
President Abraham Lincoln asked Barnum and Nutt to come to the White House in November 1862. When the two arrived, Lincoln left a cabinet meeting to welcome them. Nutt asked Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, if he was the man who was spending so much of Uncle Sam's money. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, interrupted to say that he was the man. "Well," said Nutt, "It is in a good cause, anyhow, and I guess it will come out all right." As Barnum and Nutt were on their way out, President Lincoln shook Nutt's hand. He told the Commodore that he should "wade ashore" if his "fleet" was ever in danger. Nutt looked up and down Lincoln's long legs. "I guess, Mr. President", he said, "You could do that better than I could."
Mercy Lavinia Warren Bump was a little person who taught school in her hometown of Marlboro, Massachusetts. She was traveling on a showboat-museum in the Midwest however when Barnum learned of her. He hired her in 1862. Her name was shortened to Lavinia Warren. She first appeared at the Museum in 1863. Warren was 21 years old, tall, and weighed . Barnum billed her as "The Queen of Beauty". Nutt developed an "adolescent crush" on her, but Nutt would be disappointed.
Barnum gave Lavinia a diamond and emerald ring. It did not fit her finger properly, so he told her to give the ring to Nutt as a token of her friendship. Nutt regarded the ring as a token of her love instead. He fell more in love with her than ever. Lavinia was uncomfortable with his attentions. She thought of herself as "quite a woman", but regarded Nutt as just a "nice little boy".