The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1892-07-06
CHANG AND ENG.
LIFE STORY OF THE WONDERFUL
SIANIESE TWINS.

of Mrs. Sallie Bunker, widow of Eng
Bunker, one of the world -renowned STA
mese twins, recalls to mind much of the
domestic history of these gentlemen and
their families, comparatively little of
which has ever found it's 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, in
the low lands of Siam, of humble parent
age, 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 a
large flock of ducks, which they used to
carry out every morning in boat to a
neighboring marsh, where the wild rice
was plentiful. There they remained all
day; and at night, at the blowing of a
horn, the ducks would waddle back TO
the boat, crawl aboard, and then the
twins would paddle them home.
When the boys were probably twelve
or thirteen years of age an English trav-
eler named Bunker happened that way
and after viewing them with amazement,
for a stipulated consideration with their
mother obtained possession of them.
Leaving the east shortly after, Mr. Bun
ker for several years exhibited the twins
in every part of the known would, treating
them with great kindness and making
money by them wherever he went, until
1882 he had massed fortune, and the
twins being by this time of age, he CON
siderately gave them their freedom, with
permission to adopt his name and with
enough ready cash to start them COM
fortably 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 WY alone
and yet together While in Raleigh
vhey heard some talk regarding the ex-
cellent hunting to be found in the noun
famous part of the state, and, wishing
for little recreation, they journeyed to
the Piedmont section, where they finally
took up their residence at the house of a
well-to-do farmer named Yates, living in
the county of Wilkes, situated at the foot
of the Blue Ridge mountains, and seven
ty-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 sup
plies of all kinds, and surrounded by a
large family, he took life easy and made
it pleasant for the twins, who boarded
with him for a considerable time. While
there Eng Bunker became greatly at
tached to Miss Sallie Yates, and Chang
Bunker lost his heart to Miss Adelaide.
Some time between 1885 and 1910 a
double marriage took place at the resi-
dence of Father-in-law Yates, and the
twins commenced their warried life on a
farm which was in easy distance of their
wives old homestead.
Here they lived happily, farming part
of the time and at intervals going on the
road with Barnum and Others, returning
home occasionally to their families and
tireside with well-filled pockets. But
thu farm on which they lived did not suit
the twins, so they purchased about two
thousand acres in the adjoining county
OF Surrey within three miles of the then
little village of Mt. Airy, now the termi-
nus Of the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley
railroad.
On this estate they erected a large,
comfortable frame house, with all neces-
sary outbuildingS, and made many inn
provements. Being of a cheerful, kindly
disposition, their lives passed smoothly
for many 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 cour-
age, drew knives and were about to at
tack each other, when the wives, seeing
the danger, begged them to desist
The twins ceased struggling, but de-
alded that they would then and there be
separated, and at once sent to Mt Airy
for their family physician, DIR. Hollings-
worth, man with quite local reputa-
ton as sllillful surgeon. lie arrived
with his instruments, and, after being
IL H. i I