Martin Van Buren Bates (November 9, 1837 – January 19, 1919), known as the Kentucky Giant, was an American man famed for his great height. He was 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) tall[1][2] and weighed 475 lb (215 kg).[3]
Bates' growth rate jumped at the age of six or seven. He was over 6 ft (1.83 m) tall and weighed over 200 lb (90 kg) by the time he was twelve years old.
Civil War
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, Bates joined the 5th Kentucky Infantry Confederate States Army, as a private in 1861. His ferocity in battle and imposing figure saw him quickly promoted to the rank of captain. He was severely wounded in a battle near the Cumberland Gap and was captured and imprisoned at Camp Chase in Ohio, although he later escaped.[4]
Adulthood and marriage
The marriage of Martin Bates to Anna Swan, 1871
Martin van Buren Bates and Anna Haining Bates
He returned to Kentucky after the war. Before the war, his first occupation was as a schoolteacher. While the circus was on tour in Halifax, Canada, the 7-foot-11-inch tall Anna Haining Swan visited.[1] She and Martin soon got to know each other, and were married in 1871. The highly publicized wedding, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England, drew thousands of people trying to attend, due to both the uncommonness of the spectacle and the couple's disarming good nature. Queen Victoria gave them two extra-large diamond-studded gold watches as wedding presents.[citation needed]
They moved to Ohio in 1872, settling in Seville. On 19 May 1872, Anna gave birth to a daughter, who weighed 18 lb (8.2 kg) and died at birth.[5] They built a large house to accommodate themselves comfortably. Martin described the next few years in his autobiography:
While in Ohio, I purchased a farm in Seville, Medina County. It consisted of 130 acres [0.53 km2; 53 ha] of good land. I built a house upon it designed especially for our comfort. The furniture was all built to order and to see our guests make use of it recalls most forcibly the good Dean Swift's traveler in the land of Brobdingnag.
Bates family grave, Seville, Ohio
I had determined to become a farmer, so I stocked my farm with the best breeds of cattle, most of them being short horns. My draught horses are of the Norman breed.
My rest was not to last long, for the solicitations of managers, I consented to again travel. The seasons of 1878, 1879 and 1880 found us leading attractions of the W. W. Cole circus.
While we have during these years been blessed with many things, affliction again visited us in the loss of a boy, born on the 15th day of January, 1879. He was 28 inches [71 cm] tall and weighed twenty-three pounds [10 kg] and was perfect in every respect.
Final years
Anna Bates died on August 5, 1888. Martin ordered a statue of her from Europe for her grave, sold the oversized house, and moved into the town. In 1889 he remarried, this time to a woman of normal stature, Annette LaVonne Weatherby,[6] and lived a mostly peaceful life until his death in 1919 of nephritis.[7][8] He was buried beside his first wife and their son in Seville.[9] He is currently the tallest known person to live to be at least 80 years old.
Some years after his death, a normal height family had purchased the 14-ft ceiling home built by the giant couple. However, the original house in which he and Anna lived burnt down. Later a normal house was built on that site and eventually converted into a museum for the Seville Historical Society.[10]
^"Now a Farmer". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. 5 March 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 20 September 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^They Live In The House The Giants Built The Cincinnati Post. April 17, 1948. Reprinted First National Bank Chronicle, Vol. 7, No. 2 – Winter 1996. Accessed 2008-7-8.
^"Resting Place of the Giants - Seville OH". Retrieved 9 July 2021 – via Atlas Obscura.
^"Seville, a giant little village: Ohio Tiny Towns". 3 June 2018.
External links
Media related to Martin and Anna Bates at Wikimedia Commons
Martin Van Buren Bates Accessed 22 July 2014.
Accessed 25 April 2011.
January 07, 2023
martin, buren, bates, november, 1837, january, 1919, known, kentucky, giant, american, famed, great, height, tall, weighed, martin, standing, uniformborn, 1837, november, 1837letcher, county, kentucky, usdiedjanuary, 1919, 1919, aged, seville, ohio, usheight7,. Martin Van Buren Bates November 9 1837 January 19 1919 known as the Kentucky Giant was an American man famed for his great height He was 7 ft 9 in 2 36 m tall 1 2 and weighed 475 lb 215 kg 3 Martin Van Buren BatesMartin standing in UniformBorn 1837 11 09 November 9 1837Letcher County Kentucky USDiedJanuary 19 1919 1919 01 19 aged 81 Seville Ohio USHeight7 ft 9 in 2 36 m Spouse s Anna Haining Swan m 1871 died 1888 wbr Annette LaVonne Weatherby m 1889 wbr Contents 1 Youth and growth 2 Civil War 3 Adulthood and marriage 4 Final years 5 See also 6 Notes 7 External linksYouth and growth EditBates growth rate jumped at the age of six or seven He was over 6 ft 1 83 m tall and weighed over 200 lb 90 kg by the time he was twelve years old Civil War EditUpon the outbreak of the Civil War Bates joined the 5th Kentucky Infantry Confederate States Army as a private in 1861 His ferocity in battle and imposing figure saw him quickly promoted to the rank of captain He was severely wounded in a battle near the Cumberland Gap and was captured and imprisoned at Camp Chase in Ohio although he later escaped 4 Adulthood and marriage Edit The marriage of Martin Bates to Anna Swan 1871 Martin van Buren Bates and Anna Haining Bates He returned to Kentucky after the war Before the war his first occupation was as a schoolteacher While the circus was on tour in Halifax Canada the 7 foot 11 inch tall Anna Haining Swan visited 1 She and Martin soon got to know each other and were married in 1871 The highly publicized wedding at St Martin in the Fields in London England drew thousands of people trying to attend due to both the uncommonness of the spectacle and the couple s disarming good nature Queen Victoria gave them two extra large diamond studded gold watches as wedding presents citation needed They moved to Ohio in 1872 settling in Seville On 19 May 1872 Anna gave birth to a daughter who weighed 18 lb 8 2 kg and died at birth 5 They built a large house to accommodate themselves comfortably Martin described the next few years in his autobiography While in Ohio I purchased a farm in Seville Medina County It consisted of 130 acres 0 53 km2 53 ha of good land I built a house upon it designed especially for our comfort The furniture was all built to order and to see our guests make use of it recalls most forcibly the good Dean Swift s traveler in the land of Brobdingnag Bates family grave Seville Ohio I had determined to become a farmer so I stocked my farm with the best breeds of cattle most of them being short horns My draught horses are of the Norman breed My rest was not to last long for the solicitations of managers I consented to again travel The seasons of 1878 1879 and 1880 found us leading attractions of the W W Cole circus While we have during these years been blessed with many things affliction again visited us in the loss of a boy born on the 15th day of January 1879 He was 28 inches 71 cm tall and weighed twenty three pounds 10 kg and was perfect in every respect Final years EditAnna Bates died on August 5 1888 Martin ordered a statue of her from Europe for her grave sold the oversized house and moved into the town In 1889 he remarried this time to a woman of normal stature Annette LaVonne Weatherby 6 and lived a mostly peaceful life until his death in 1919 of nephritis 7 8 He was buried beside his first wife and their son in Seville 9 He is currently the tallest known person to live to be at least 80 years old Some years after his death a normal height family had purchased the 14 ft ceiling home built by the giant couple However the original house in which he and Anna lived burnt down Later a normal house was built on that site and eventually converted into a museum for the Seville Historical Society 10 See also EditList of tallest peopleNotes Edit a b Tallest married couple ever Guinness World Records Retrieved 29 March 2022 His height is listed as 7 9 by Guinness World Records Various other sources list his height as 7 2 7 7 7 9 or 7 11 Bates Ira J 30 May 2017 I Discovered my Great Uncle was a Giant Medium Retrieved 27 December 2020 Martin Van Buren Bates the Kentucky River Giant Soldiers Politicians amp Other Men American Civil War Forums The Giants Wedding planetslade com Now a Farmer The Courier Journal Louisville Kentucky 5 March 1896 p 6 Retrieved 20 September 2015 via Newspapers com They Live In The House The Giants Built The Cincinnati Post April 17 1948 Reprinted First National Bank Chronicle Vol 7 No 2 Winter 1996 Accessed 2008 7 8 Vigil Vicki Blum 2007 Cemeteries of Northeast Ohio Stones Symbols amp Stories Cleveland OH Gray amp Company Publishers ISBN 978 1 59851 025 6 Resting Place of the Giants Seville OH Retrieved 9 July 2021 via Atlas Obscura Seville a giant little village Ohio Tiny Towns 3 June 2018 External links Edit Media related to Martin and Anna Bates at Wikimedia Commons Martin Van Buren Bates Accessed 22 July 2014 The Giants of Seville Accessed 25 April 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Martin Van Buren Bates amp oldid 1114034902, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
