Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-06-23
wALHALLA. SOUTH CAROLINA, JUNE 23, 1892.
Chang and Eng.
INTERESTING STORIES OF THE
SIAMESE TWINS.
Richmond Dispatch.

Richmond Dispatch.
The recent death, near Mount
Airy, N. c., of Mrs. Sallie Bunker,
widow of Eng Bunker, one Of the
world-renowned Siamese twins, re-
calls to mind much of the domestic
history of these gentlemen and their
families, comparatively little of which
has ever found its way into print,
which now comes direct from one
who lived in the neighborhood of
their homes in the old North State,
and who was a personal friend OF the
twins from his youth up.
Chang and Eng were born in 1911,
I in the lowlands of Siam, of humble
parentage, and at an early age lost
their father. AS soon as they were
old enough to be of use to their
widowed mother, she put them to
the light work of tending large
flock of ducks, which they used to
carry in boat to neighboring
marsh, where the wild rice was plen-
tiful; there they remained all day,
and at night, at the blowing OF a
horn the ducks would waddle back
10 the boat, crawl aboard, and then
the twins would paddle them home.
When the boys were probably II or
- years OF age an English traveller
named Bunker happened that way''
and, after viSwing them with amaze
ment, for stipulated consideration
W ith their mother, obtained posses
sion of them.
Leaving the East shortly after,
Mr. Bunker for seSera' years exhib-
tied the twins in every part of the
known world, treating them with
great kindness and making money
by them wherever he went, until in
1882 he amassed a fortune, and the
twins being by this time of age, he
CONSIDERABLY gave them their free
dom, with the permission to adopt
his name and with enoug! ready
cash to start them comfortably in life.
This happened in Raleigh, n, C.,
and the young men, though they
loved their protector well, loved
freedom better, so, with a friendly
parting on both sides, they started
out to make their way alone-and
yet together. While in Raleigh
they heard some talk regarding the
excellent hunting to be found in the
mountainous part of the State, and,
wishing for a little recreation, they
journeyed to the Piedmont section,
where they finally took up their
residence at the house of well-to-do
farmer named Yates, living in the
county of Wilkes, situated at the
foot of the Blue Ridge mountains,
and seventy-fve miles West of
Greensboro.
Farmer Yates was fond of the
chase. Living in good, old-fashioned
style, with plenty of negroes and
. dogs, raising supplies of all kinds
and surrounded by large family, he
took life easy and made it pleasant
for the twins, who boarded with him
for considerable time. While
there Eng Bunker became greatly
attached to Miss Sallie Yates and
Chang Bunker iost his heart to Miss
Adelaide.
Some time between 1885 and 1910
double marriage took place at the
residence of Father-in-law Yates,
and the twins commenced their mar
ried life on the farm, which was in
easy distance OF their wives old
homestead. Here they lived happily,
farming part OF the time and at in
tervals going on the road with Bar
nun and Others returning home
occasionally to their families and
Eresides with well filled pockets. But
the farm on which they lived did
not suit the twins, so they purchased
about 1000 acres in the adjoining
county of Surrey, within three miles
of the then little village of Mount
Airy, now the terminus of the Cape
Fear and Yadkin Valley railroad
On this estate they erected large,
comfortable frame house, with all
necessary out-buildings, and made
many Improvements. Being OF a
cheerful, kindly disposition, their
lives passed smoothly for several
years, while several children were
born to each wife
Some of the children were nearly
grown when one day, from some
cause or other, a squabble ensued,
in which the mothers took part, and
subsequently Chang and Eng, who
being men of spirit and courage,
drew knives and were about to attack
each other, when the wives, seeing
the danger, begged them to desist
The twins ceased struggling, but de-
cided that they would then and there
be separated, and at once sent to
Mount Airy for their family physi-
clan, DR.. Hollingsworth, man with
quite local reputation as a skillful
surgeon. He arrived with his in
struments, and after being told what
,x,o.%oI ~ov,, n r1oI