Elephants In The Oil Region

In 1900, a grand procession of elephants with the Walter Main Circus paraded on Center Street in Oil City, captivating a large crowd.

Throughout Pennsylvania's Oil Region's history, elephants have made their way through the area several times. Imagine elephants lumbering down the streets of oil towns like Oil City and Titusville, elephants on the baseball fields in Emlenton, elephants in the graveyards of Franklin and Reno, and even elephants in the Allegheny River!

While developing the Museum's newest exhibit for 2025, Oil Boom Spectacular! Entertainment In The Oil Region, our staff's favorite aspect has been uncovering stories of elephants that have passed through the region with the many circuses that visited the area.

This first blog post will discuss a few notable instances of elephants in Venango County as we explore this historical nugget further.

Cover of the 1951 Mills Bros. circus season route book featuring seven of the Mills Bros.' elephants.

Queen of the Pachyderms

The first elephant we will discuss is Miss Burma, a 4.5-ton Asian elephant with the Mills Brothers Circus.

The three-ring Mills Brothers Circus was the largest motorized circus in the United States. It comprised 500 personnel, monkeys, aerialists, clowns, horses, and more. The circus also featured its 40-ton herd of elephants, led by Miss Burma, "Queen of the Pachyderms."

In 1953, Miss Burma attended the funeral of Ethel Vane Vensel at the Franklin Cemetery. Four years later, in 1957, Miss Burma returned to the Oil Region and attended the service of Maude Osborne.

Grand Old Lady of the Big Top

Ethel Vane Vensel, a Charleston, West Virginia native, was a circus aerialist with big-time shows such as Hagenback & Wallace, Ringling Brothers, and Sells-Floto. Her husband was Charles Vensel of East Brady, Pennsylvania. The two met while working in the circus industry.

Ethel became sick as the circus left its winter quarters in Greenville, Ohio. She was flown to Charles' sister's home in Buffalo, New York, where she eventually fell into a coma and then later died on May 3, 1953.

Ethel's remains were taken to Franklin, where Charles' relatives lived. Funeral services were held at the Franklin Cemetery. Ethel's dying wish was to hear the circus band play one final time.

During its 14th annual tour across America, the Mills Brothers Circus was scheduled to perform at Grandview Road in Oil City. The Acacia Grotto sponsored the show to serve as a fundraiser for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

During this Oil City performance, Charles and Jack Mills, one of the circus owners, honored Ethel's dying wish by arranging a memorial service at the Franklin Cemetery, with many circus performers and family members in attendance.

Aerial view of Mills Bros Circus' winter quarters at the Darke County Fairgrounds at Greenville, Ohio. Ethel became sick as the circus left its winter quarters.

On May 18, 1953, the memorial service was attended by "midgets, clowns, aerialists, lot men, and circus officials..." who all "...stood with bowed heads around the resting place of the woman, as a five-ton elephant, Miss Burma...lightly places a wreath on her grave. Mr. Vensel bowed his head with the others as the circus band gathered at the grave side and played once more for the grand old lady of the big top."

Reportedly, the service caused an uproar with Franklin residents who were afraid the elephant would step on existing graves. Miss Burma didn't step on a single one.

Miss Burma, a 4.5-ton elephant with the Mills Brothers Circus, lays a wreath at the grave of Ethel Vane Vensel during a memorial service at the Franklin Cemetery on May 18, 1953, while circus personnel watch on.

Perfect Aplomb

Miss Burma and her trainer, Capt. Seagrave at the Reno Cemetery for the memorial service of Maude Osborne on July 18, 1957.

Maude Osborne of Illinois, was a circus performer who had been in the industry most of her life. She was married to Wallace "Bill" Osborne, the "advance publicity man" for the circus. They both worked for the Mills Brothers Circus for many years.

In May 1957, Maude and Bill traveled to Reno to arrange a July 18 circus show for the Mills Brothers Circus, sponsored by the Reno Fire Department. During this time, Maude fell seriously ill. She was immediately admitted to the Grandview Rest Home in Oil City and died a week later on June 1.

Wreath for Maude Osborne made at Eva Allen's Florist Shop held by the nephew of George Coon. Maude Osborne was buried in a portion of a lot owned at the time by former Reno resident George Coon, then of California.

Maude requested to be buried where she died, so arrangements were made for her burial at the Reno Cemetery. Reno Fire Department firefighters served as pallbearers. After the July 18 show, circus personnel, along with Miss Burma, attended a memorial service.

Big Burma was said to have "carried off her part of the role [in the memorial service] in perfect aplomb under the commands of her trainer, Capt. Seagrave."

Miss Burma laying the wreath on Maude Osborne's grave in Reno in 1957.

Barnum's Elephants

At the turn of the 19th century, P. T. Barnum was the most renowned circusman and was heralded as the amusement king.

On September 8, 1906, P.T. Barnum's circus came to Oil City for a show at the West End showgrounds. Pictured is an elephant outside the circus tent.

His Greatest Show on Earth arrived in the Oil Region several times around the turn of the 19th century. The show played in Oil City in 1882, 1885, 1887, 1889, and 1906 and reportedly toured nearby towns such as Titusville, Warren, and Meadville.

The Greatest Show on Earth was a three-ring circus known for its elaborate costumes, thrilling acts, and use of animals in performances. Among those animals was an elephant named Jumbo, billed as the "biggest elephant in the world."

Illustration of P. T. Barnum's elephant, Jumbo, arriving in New York City in 1882.

The Biggest Elephant In The World

1882 circus poster featuring Jumbo and his keeper, Matthew Scott.

P.T. Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth brought Jumbo, the “biggest elephant in the world,” to the Oil City on September 29, 1882.

Jumbo was a 6.7-ton African bush elephant. He was 10 feet and 7 inches tall, but Barnum often billed him as taller, ranging from 13 to 16 feet.

Of Jumbo's arrival to Oil City it was said that “The first streak of daylight will cause the children, yes even the children of larger growth, to be up and on the alert for a sight of the wonderful Jumbo, and it is altogether likely that Jumbo figured very prominently in the dreams of many sleepers last night in the city.”

Water For Barnum's Elephants

Barnum’s circus was once held in Oil City’s West End during one of the year's hottest days.

The elephants were herded and led to the Allegheny River at the Kramer Wagon Works crossing just off West First Street in Oil City. There, the elephants could drink, bathe, and cool off.

The elephants plunged into the deeper water, but no coaxing could get them out. The elephants were late to the circus show, and their acts had to be performed near the show's end.

Elephants in the Allegheny River near Kramer Wagon Works in Oil City.

We previously featured one of the time's Barnum's circus arrived to Oil City in the ninth episode of our video essay series A Minute In History. Watch it here.

Further Sightings of Elephants Across the Region

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