Here is some info about these astonishing people. These people are amazing and I would like to share their lives with you. Some information may be published at different dates and articles.

Robert Wadlow – Giant

Name: Robert Pershing Wadlow

Born: February 22, 1918

Where: Alton, Illinois

Died: July 15, 1940

Where: Manistee, Michigan

When: In his sleep

Cause of Death: Infection from a blister on his ankle caused by a faulty brace.

Age: 22

Known: Tallest man in the world

Parents: Harold Franklin Wadlow & Addie Johnson

Siblings: none

Spouse: none

Children: none

Occupation: Ringling Brothers Circus

Height: 8 ft. 11.1 in.

Sandy Allen – Giant

Name: Sandy Allen

Born: June 18, 1955

Where: Chicago, Illinois

Died: August 13, 2008

Where: Shelbyville, Indiana

Cause of Death: Sepsis of blood

Age: 53

Known: Tallest woman in the world

Parents: unknown

Siblings: none

Spouse:  Adam Watermiller

Children: none

Occupation: Author, actress

Height: 7 ft. 7 1/4 in.

Joseph Merrick – Elephant Man

Name: Joseph Carey Merrick

Born: August 5, 1862

Where: Leicester, England

Died: April 11, 1890

Where: London, England

Cause of Death: Accidental dislocation of the neck due to its inability to support the weight of his head in his sleep – tried to imitate the way normal people sleep

Age: 27

Known: Elephant Man

Parents: Joseph Rockley Merrick & Mary Jane Potterton

Siblings: William Arthur Merrick & Marion Eliza Merrick

Spouse: none

Children: none

Occupation: Sideshow performer, Medical Research Subject

Notes: Stepmother was Emma Wood, who sent Joseph away. He could barely speak because of his bronchial infection. Frederick Treves, physician, used Joseph as a medical research subject and became Joseph’s friend.

Daisy & Violet Hilton – Conjoined Twins

Name: Daisy Skinner & Violet Skinner

Born: February 5, 1908

Where: Brighton, England

Died: January 4, 1969

Where: Charlotted, North Carolina

Cause of death: Hong Kong Flu

Age: 60

Known: Conjoined Twins

Parents: Kate Skinner

Siblings: stepsister, Edith

Spouse: Harold Estop & James Walker “Jim” Moore

Children: none

Occupation: entertainers, grocery store clerks

Notes: The twins’ mother was unwed and they were adopted by Mary Hilton and her husband, taking their last name. Daisy died first, then Violet died 2-4 days later. These lovely ladies appeared in the 1932 movie Freaks (awesome movie).               

Johnny Eck – Half Boy

Name: John Eckhardt, Jr.

Born: August 27, 1911

Where: Baltimore, Maryland

Died: January 5, 1911

Where: Baltimore, Maryland

Cause of Death: heart attack

Age: 79

Known:  Half Boy, King of Freaks

Parents: John Eckhardt, Sr. & Amelia Eckhardt

Siblings: Robert Eckhardt & Caroline Eckhardt

Spouse: none

Children: none

Occupation: Sideshow performer, actor, artist, runner, swimmer, photographer, illusionist, penny arcade owner, Punch and Judy operator, expert model-maker, gymnast, race-car driver, tight rope walker, animal trainer, orchestra conductor, train conductor, and traveler.

Notes: Robert was Johnny’s twin and was born before him. When Johnny was born, the midwife said, “Oh my lord, he’s a broken doll!” Johnny said “he was snapped off at the waist”, but he did have undeveloped feet that he hid under his clothing. Johnny and Robert were identical, beside Johnny’s birth defect. Johnny was walking on his hands before Robert could even walk! Johnny climbed the Washington Monument ON HIS HANDS in 1938. Johnny and Robert were robbed by two burglars in January of 1987. One of the burglars sat on Johnny while the other cleaned out the house. Johnny went into isolation in his house since the incident. He also said, ” If I wanted to see freaks, all I have to do is look out my window.” Johnny also appeared in the 1932 movie Freaks. (My second favorite movie after POTO. Watch it on Google.)

Prince Randian – Living Torso

Name: Prince Randian

Born: 1871

Where: Demerara, British Guiana

Died: December 19, 1934

Where: New York City, New York

Cause of Death: Natural caused

Age: 63

Known: The Living Torso, The Pillow Man, The Human Cigar, The Human Caterpillar

Parents: Unknown

Siblings: none

Spouse: Princess Sarah

Children: 4

Occupation: Sideshow performer

Notes:Prince Randian’s real name is unknown, so is his early life. He could speak English, German, French, and Hindi. He appeared in the 1932 movie Freaks. Randian could do many thing with no arms or legs, like shaving, writing, painting, and he could roll cigarettes! He contained all of his cigarette material in a box.

Bill Durks – 3-eyed man

Name: William “Bill” Durks

Born: April 17, 1913

Where: Jasper, Alabama

Died: May 7, 1975

Where: Gibsonton, Alabama

Cause of death: natural causes

Age: 62

Known: The Man With Three Eyes

Parents: unknown

Siblings: 4

Spouse: Mildred “Milly” Durks

Children: none

Occupation: Sideshow performer

Notes: Bill’s parents and his siblings were all normal. He hid his face with a wide, brimmed hat. Bill married the alligator-skinned woman, Milly Durks. The two were known as the World’s Strangest Couple. Milly was older than Bill. She was born on November 22, 1901. Bill didn’t join the sideshow until he entered his forties, becoming the The Man With Three Eyes. He didn’t have three eyes though. He just painted a third eye between his two noses. Bill suffered from Frontonasal Dysplasia.

Grace McDaniels – Mule-Faced Woman

Name: Grace McDaniels

Born: 1888

Where: Numa, Iowa

Died: 1958

Where: unknown

Cause of Death: unknown

Age: 70

Known: The Mule-Faced Woman, The World’s Ugliest Woman

Parents: unknown

Siblings: none

Spouse: none

Children: Elmer McDaniels

Occupation: Sideshow performer

Notes: Grace joined the sideshow after winning an Ugliest Woman Contest. Elmer became Grace’s son after a drunk worker at the carnival took advantage of her. Elmer was bad-tempered and had a drinking problem. He also abused his mother, but she loved him more than anything anyway. After a while, Grace had problems finding jobs because no one wanted to be around Elmer. Grace didn’t like being called the World’s Ugliest Woman anymore. She changed her name to The Mule-Faced Woman. Both Grace AND Elmer died in 1958, but no one knows how. Possibly homicide? Grace suffered from Sturge – Weber Syndrome

Mary Anne Bevan – Homliest Woman in the World

Name: Mary Ann Webster

Born: December 20, 1874

Where: Plainstow, London, England

Died: December 26, 1933

Where: unknown

Cause of Death: unknown

Age: 60

Known: The Homliest Woman in the World

Parents: unknown

Siblings: 7

Spouse: Thomas Bevan

Children: 4

Occupation: nurse, sideshow performer

Notes: Mary didn’t start showing changes of her body until she was 32 years old. Before she died, after all the symptoms she went through, she weighed 168 pounds and was 5 ft. 7 in. tall. Not extreme for someone who suffered from acromegaly. In the UK, her photo was used for “Blind Date” birthday cards, created by Hallmark. Then, a Dutch doctor made a complaint about how they shouldn’t laugh at someone with a condition. Hallmark agreed and took the cards out of the stores. I agree with the Dutch doctor. She can’t help the way she looked. It just isn’t right to make fun of someone who looks different.