Clarence Chesterfield Howerton

Early life Clarence Chesterfield Howerton was born on February 9, 1913, in Salem, Oregon, to Frank and Helen Howerton. He had five brothers, all of whom grew to 6 ft (1.83 m) tall. Howerton's mother was just over tall, which led some to wonder if his small stature was inherited.

In January 1926, Frank Howerton shot himself, having been in poor health previously.

Career Howerton's career began at a young age, when his father entered him into a local vaudeville show. The circus was the largest of the kind, with 800 performers and over 1000 animals. Accompanied by his mother,

In December 1922, Howerton received national press coverage when he visited U.S. President Warren G. Harding at the White House and was billed as "the world's smallest man." One newspaper noted at the time: "The smallest midget and the smallest Shriner in the world, known as Major Mite, caused more excitement when he called at the White House recently than many a notable has done."

In 1927, Howerton drew the attention of The New York Times when he led a "strange cavalcade" through the streets of Manhattan to the Hospital for Crippled and Ruptured Children. Howerton led the parade in the original coach that had previously been used by General Tom Thumb. The coach was drawn by two Shetland ponies, and Howerton was accompanied by "Tiny Doll", described as "the Major's sweetheart" and other circus performers. He also drew the attention of the Chicago Tribune when he visited Chicago in 1928.

In 1928, Howerton was paired with an extraordinarily large circus sideshow performer known as "Tom Ton" and billed as the "Human Atom" and "Big Baby Elephant." Howerton is said to have performed with numerous human oddities, also working with Ruth Pontico, a woman weighing , in his career.

In advertising and film, Howerton found success beyond the sideshow. During the 1930s, he was used as a mascot for the recruitment side of the United States Marine Corps. His biggest role in acting was with 1939's The Wizard of Oz, in which he played the part of a trumpet-playing Munchkin, Herald #3, who announced the arrival of the mayor. Howerton also appeared in the 1932 Our Gang comedy "Free Eats".

By 1940, he was living with his mother in Manhattan. His occupation was described as "exhibitionist" in a circus, In the announcement of his registration, his weight and height are given, vastly contrasting to other sources: a height of and a weight of .

Reputation

Howerton was often seen with other human oddities; for example, in 1924, he was photographed with Martin Feig, a four-year-old boy who weighed 104 pounds. Feig reportedly said to Howerton, "Aw, you're nothing but a germ-weight midget." One newspaper referred to Howerton, who was in reality only 13 years old at the time, as "the Beau Brummel of the side shows", noting that the Doll sisters (two female small persons working with Ringling Brothers) declared him "a regular sheik".

In contrast to his public persona, Howerton reportedly enjoyed cigars and beer, "often yelled obscenities", and was known to "run the length of a bar, kicking anything in his way", but at the time was advertised as being . The two were often photographed together in promotional materials for Ringling Brothers, with it being said that "it is penny-ante poker which has made pals of Jack and the major". His size, however, meant that he was forced to have tailor-made clothing, which he "demand[ed be] good standard".

On November 18, 1975, at the age of 62, Howerton died of pneumonia in a hospital in McMinnville, Oregon. He was buried in Mountainview Cemetery in nearby Oregon City. Aside from one brother, he outlived all of his immediate family.