Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-08
SIAMESE TWINS.
A Curious Account Twenty.Six
Years Ago.
How They COurted and Lived-Queer
and Wonderful Details.

anu WonucEAuh Det8ttS.
Since the remarkable discovery made
by the physicians at the autopsy upon
the bodies of the twins In Philadelphia,
that they could not have been separ-
ated in life without causing the death
of both, public interest In all that per-
tains to their lives and history, has
been upon the increase. Many reada-
bic accounts have already been given to
the public regarding the early history
of the wonderful pair, but the following
account of visit to their home twenty
six years ago, and among other things,
the speculations INDUCED in at that
time relative to their separation, is Pc
culiarly interesting. The queer details
of this visit are given IN an exceeding
ly racy and truthful manner, and came
from copy of the Randolph Herald,
printed in Ashborough, n. c., on the
18th of April, 184S. It is dated Trap
Hill, Wilkes county, n. c., January 5,
lS4S, and originally appeared in the
SoutherHer. The correspondent, who is
of the feminine gender, says:
1 now proceed to fill my engagement
to the readers of the Southerner Mr..
James S. Grant, at whose house | was
entertained for several days, accompa-
MED me to this notable place, ''Trap
Hill" Trap Hill'' is two miles from
the residence of the family of Eng, or,
as he is now called, Eng Bunckner.
The name of Bunckner was conferred
upon the twins by judge of the Su-
perior Court of North Carolina, in
order, l understand, to enable them the
better to transact any legal business
which might be necessary. At Trap
Hill'' Mr.. g. and myself understood
that the twins were at their new place
in Surrey county, and forty miles dis
tant from TRAP Hill" But learning
that Mrs. Sarah Bunckner the wife of
Eng was at home, We determined to
spend a night at her house, and see if
the wife of one of the twins was Just
like other ladies. We arrived at her
house Just before dark. Mrs. Eng is
about twenty-six years old, and as round
and as plump as churn. Her maiden
name was Sarah Lates. Mrs. Eng is a
real specimen of a mountain lady. Her
person is portly, and her countenance
quite pleasant. Her conversational
powers are above mediocrity. Her
mother, Mrs. Lates, died a year ago,
weighing 600 pounds. Mrs. Eng has
been married five years, and has three
children, viz: Catherine Marcellis, aged
four years; Julian, aged three years,
and Decatur, aged two years.
THE BIG BEDSTEAD.
W. MON, ~, el
bedroom of Mrs. Eng, there being no
fire In the parlor, and the weather ex-
ceedingly cold, where We saw herself
and the three children all comfortably
seated around the fire The first i'm
portant object that arrested my atten-
ton was the big bedstead" and the
''big feather-bed." They were to me
objects Of great curiosity, and l could
not keep my eyes from them. Finally,
my curiosity for belong to the family
of old Eve rose so high that | was
compelled to ask Mrs. Eng what use
they made of that big bedstead and
bed" She replied as follows: "Our
family is quite big when the twins and
my sister and her children all come to
see me, and the twins made the big
bedstead,' for nothing shorter would do
all on u.s." blushed a little, and then
resumed: you are quite a loving
family" l added. YES" said she,
its obliged to be so; for each on us
has to sleep on the off-side of the twins,
and then six children; all put together,
it takes a mighty big fxin' for all on
us, you know" / told her did not
know it; but if she said so, it must be
correct. Here my attention was ar
rested by the light of the "big candle"
and remarked, "YOu have also cam
die to correspond with the big bed.
stead" Yes" said Mrs, Eng, 1--WE
must have big fixin's here"
HOW THEY CoURTED.
After supper the children were put to
bed, and Mrs. Eng, Mr.. Grant, and my
self resumed our seats around the fire
in the bedroom, and continued talking
until late hour Mrs. E. Is very COM
municative, and would frequently al
Jude to the previous life of the twins,
their manner of courtship, the many
gals what tried to get 'em, cause they
| had money" etc. She also gave us an
account of the reason for settling at
TRAP HILL" which was to merchan-
disc, but Mr. Harris the gentleman
who was with them, and who was to
have conducted their business( having
married gal what they didn't like"
they concluded to abandon the idea Of
employing him, and also abandoned the
idea Of merchandising altogether.
They have a house here, finished in a
good style, at cost of $500, which
they are now anxious to sell. so that
the two families may be together.
rode from Wilkes county to their
new residence in Surrey, some forty
miles, and arrived at their house the
evening OF the second day after leay-
ing Trap Hill" On riding up to the
yard l observed the twins busily en-
gagged in shingling a house; and on
seeing me they promptly approached
me and requested me to walk In" adj
ding that they would attend to my
! horse. and in the meantime ] walked
into the house and introduced myself
to Mrs. Chang, and found her to be
quite handsome young woman, Just
twenty-five.
WHO MRS. CHANG WAS.
Her maiden name was Adelaide
Lates, SISTER of Sarah,) and her dress
and general appearance all Indicated a
degree of tidiness which Mrs. Eng
lacks; indeed, the people all about
here say she is mighty townifed. -
Mrs. Chang was married on the same
night as her sister, and now has three
/ chil1ra1, viz Jocarbina ViroiDia civ
days younger than Mrs. Eng's first;
I Christopher Wrens eight days younger
than Mrs. Eng's second, and Nancy,
aged only SIX months. These are
healthy and forward children but have
their fathers features clearly STAN ed