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Mighty Haag Circus was started by Ernest Haag (17 June 1866 - 1 Feb. 1935) in Shreveport, Louisiana. His circus toured continuously for over 40 years, from 1891 to 1935. Ernest Haag Circus toured using a boat, carts, trains, horse pulled wagons and trucks. At the time it was one of the largest traveling Circus in the United States. Many of Haag performers went on to have very successful careers after working in Haag Circus. Harry James (1916–1983) grew up in the Mighty Haag Circus as his father, Everett Robert James, was the bandleader in Mighty Haag Circus. Harry James' mother, Myrtle Maybelle (Stewart), was an acrobat and horseback rider in the Circus. Maybelle and Everett liked Ernest Haag so much they gave their son his middle name, Harry Haag James. Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia while the Haag Circus was performing there. The James family departed the Circus in 1931 when Harry was 15. Laurence Brasfield of Uncle Cyp and Aunt Sap Brasfield start in the Haag Circus at age 14. Cornet player Don Essig played in Haag Circus. Starting as Haag performers Rube Walters and Heinie Emgard became a vaudeville act. Fisher's Performing Elephants continued tours after the Haag Circus ended. Ruby Haag Brown performed for 50 years in the Haag Circus, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Circus Hall of Fame and Shrine Circus.
Contents
Beginnings
The story goes that Ernest Haag ran away from home (Plymouth, Indiana) at age 12 to join a Circus. From Indiana he traveled to Philadelphia and New York shining shoes and selling newspapers. Then got a job as musician and an orchestra leader. Ernest played alto in the short lived Robinson Two-Car Show. He started a juice business. From Philadelphia he traveled south and turned his juice business into a minstrel show, that failed. He did a side show at the local fair grounds after purchasing a small tent from an old side-show man, Squire Bowman. At the age of 24, Ernest Haag started his circus show by purchasing a Flat-bottomed boat on the Red River near Shreveport, Louisiana in 1890. He hired local performers to put his show together and called it “The Big Show”. In 1895 he renamed the show the Mighty Haag Shows. Ed Conklin a local juggler was one of first performers. The show moved down the Catawba River to Bayou Teche. From there down the Atchafalaya river near Morgan City, Louisiana. In Morgan City Haag moved his show to carts and later and wagons as he toured by land. Haag added more carts and wagon to the show as he toured Louisiana and then Kansas.
Mighty Haag Circus
The Mighty Haag Shows toured Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. For 10 years The Mighty Haag Shows toured through the Southern United States. In 1909 the Circus had out grown the horse and mule pulled wagons. Haag moved his Circus to 14 railroad cars calling show Mighty Haag Railroad Shows. Carved wagons, cages for animals, Pawnee Bill calliope wagon and chariots where place in rail cars. The Mighty Haag Railroad Shows toured from 1910 to 1912 in Eastern Canada including: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, including Charlottetown. The Mighty Haag Circus toured many US states as far west as Montana. Mighty Haag Railroad Circus show had highly trained animal with elephants, bears, ponies, camels, lions, tiger and blue-faced monkeys, along with hyena, ocelot and badger. Tuckapo ponies act was put on by Capt. J. C. Farley. In 1915 Circus entrance fee was 35 cents. At its peak in 1918, the show had 100 workers, 3-Ring Circus in a 180 by 80 tent and 45 vehicles of all types. Circus was also known for the one-legged clown, Roy Fortune, a highwire walker and aerialist; also the sword swallower Marguerite Davis. In 1915 Ernest Haag sold all his railroad cars to Great Wortham Shows carnival and move back to wagons, renaming the show to the Mighty Haag Circus. The wagons toured locally in Louisiana and Texas. In the early 1930 with good roads and trucks now available, Haag moved his Circus and tents to trucks. The elephants were used to help with stuck trucks. Mighty Haag Circus rested and wintered first in Lecompte, Louisiana and then later back in Shreveport. With the success of the Circus Haag had a home made in Shreveport. In 1920 the Circus moved it wintered headquarter to Marianna, Florida. Ruby Haag Brown, daughter of the late Charles William Fisher and Ruth Eleanor Gregory was a performer in he show, she is known for Alice the elephant picking her up by her mouth and carrying her around by her legs. Ruby also did aerial acts in the show. She was married to Harry Eugene Haag Senior for 29 years.
In 1935 with the death of Ernest Haag on 1 Feb. 1935 the operation of the Circus was given to family members. The name was change to the Haag Brothers Circus in January 1937. The brothers were in fact cousins, Roy Haag and Henry Haag. Henry was Ernest son and Roy was Ernest's nephew. The Circus' last show was in 1939 in Climax, Georgia. Roy Haag (23 Nov. 1891-6 Jan. 1947) was Ernest nephew and worked in the Circus. After Circus closed, Harry Haag, Silverlake and Fisher fmailies took ALICE the Elephant and few other acts and ran an independent act-show from for one year, called United Amusement Company. For the summer of 1836 Harry Haag, Ruby Haag and Fisher family, with horses and trained dogs opened the Bud Hawkins Circus.
Ernest Haag was married to Alice N. Hubbard Haag (1879- 1951). They had a son Harry Eugene on tour in Oklahoma and later a daughter Helen. Ernest purshaed real estate in Louisiana, Florida and Oklahoma. Ernest also was the director of the Commercial National Bank of Shreveport. Ernest Haag father was Joseph N. Haag (July 8, 1840 - 1904), born in Bavaria (Bayern), Germany and lived in Plymouth, Indiana. Ernest Haag and Joseph Haag are buried in Plymouth, Indiana. Ernest Haag mother was Elizabeth Schoner Haag (April 1840 - 1906), she was born in Germany.