Annie May Abbott

Annie May Abbott (ca. 1861 - November, 21 1915) was born Dixie Annie Jarratt Haygood in the United States.

She developed an act consisted of feats of weight and motion resistance and billed herself as the "Little Georgia Magnet" and became a star of the vaudeville stage performing from 1885 to 1908. She appeared before the crown heads of Europe where she demonstrated her supernatural powers.

She apparently witnessed a performance of Lulu Hurst in Milledgeville, Georgia in 1884 and by early March 1885, Annie was performing her version of Hurst's act publicly. Her success was partly due to her own new creations, including the ability to resist being lifted from the floor by men (hence her nickname, the "Georgia Magnet").

Her act also consisted of lifting 4 men on a chair by simply touching the chair. Resisting the combined efforts of four men to move her while standing upon one foot. Lifting men into mid-air by placing her open hands upon their heads.

She was imitated by many women, both during her life and after. Some even used her stage name, thus clouding the history of the Annie Abbott name.

She is buried at Memory Hill Cemetary, Milledgeville, Georgia.

References

• http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2906
• http://www.illusiongenius.com/11-2002.html
• http://www.illusiongenius.com/11-2002-02.html
• http://www.friendsofcems.org/memoryhill/default1.htm?SQLSelect2.asp?key=WF018002&2