| LC control no. | no2017082069 |
|---|---|
| Descriptive conventions | rda |
| Personal name heading | Van Amburgh, I. A. (Isaac A.), 1808-1865 |
| Variant(s) | Amburgh, I. A. van (Isaac A.), 1808-1865 Amburgh, Isaac A. van, 1808-1865 Van Amburgh, Isaac A., 1808-1865 |
| Birth date | 1808-05-26 |
| Death date | 1865-11-29 |
| Place of birth | Fishkill (N.Y.) |
| Place of death | Philadelphia (Pa.) |
| Field of activity | Menageries Animal training Animal handling |
| Profession or occupation | Animal trainers Circus performers |
| Special note | Wikipedia, viewed March 30, 2017 on Isaac A. Van Amburgh web page has Amburgh's year of birth as 1811, citing Culhane, John. The American Circus (Henry Holt, 1990), page 17; contradicted by date on Van Amburgh gravestone |
| Found in | Brief biographical sketch of I. A. Van Amburgh, 1861?: title page (I. A. Van Amburgh) OCLC, viewed March 30, 2017 (heading: Van Amburgh, Isaac, Van Amburgh, I. A., Van Amburgh, Isaac A., 1811-1865, Van Amburgh, Isaac A., 1808-1865, Van Amburgh, Isaac A., 1812?-1865; usage: Van Amburgh, Mr. Van Amburgh, I. A. Van Amburgh) VIAF, viewed March 30, 2017 (Amburgh, Isaac Van, f. 1808-1865, Amburgh, Isaac Van, 1808-1865, Van Amburgh, Isaac, 1808-1865. VIAF ID: 305918658 (Personal), Permalink: http://viaf.org/viaf/305918658, ISNI: 0000 0004 2474 2877) findagrave.com, 21 June 2017: (Isaac Van Amburgh page: William A. Van Amburgh/Isaac A. Van Amburgh gravestone in St. George's Cemetery, Newburgh, N.Y. gives his dates as 26 May 1808-29 November 1865) <https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18803963> Wikipedia, viewed March 30, 2017: Isaac van Amburgh web page (Issac van Amburgh; born Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York, 1808; died 1865, Philadelphia, Pa.; animal trainer who introduced trained wild animal acts in menageries, thus combining menageries with circuses until the distinction faded. At nineteen, Van Amburgh became a cage cleaner at the Zoological Institute of New York (a small traveling menagerie). He showed an aptitude for training the wild animals whose cages he cleaned, which led owners of the Institute to feature him in menagerie acts. In 1833, at 22, he first entered a cage of wild cats at the Zoological Institute which made him successful and famous; he is reputed to be one of the first men to "stick his head into a lion's mouth. He began to tour and perform in other menageries, and he had his own travelling show as well. In the late 1830's he took his act to England and continental Europe for several years, performing for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Despite his fame and popularity, Van Amburgh regularly faced criticism for the cruelty he showed to his animals through beatings and starvation. In response, he cited Biblical verses to justify his methods. He suffered a heart attack and died in Philadelphia in 1865. After his death, his manager continued using the Van Amburgh name; it was leased in 1889 to the Ringling Brothers and was used professionally until 1922) |
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