Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-02
KENTUCKY GIANT.
A SKETCH or THE LIFE or MARTIN
VAN BUREN, BATES.
He Stood Eight Feet. and Welded Miss
Anna II. swsa Who Tipped the Bssm
q He Own Figure.

CLINTWOOD, VA, December L-(Spe-
cial.)-In reading the October No. Of The
Strand Magazine. Of London. came
across well-executed photogravure.
representing Captain Martin Van Buren,
Bates, THE Kentucky Giant" and his
former wife. and this recalls to mind the
now almost forgotten giant and giantess.
who gained such notoriety back In the
seventies, not only in America but In
Europe also, and thinking that sketch
OF these characters "of generous proper
TONS would be acceptable to readers OF
the Dispatch. will record such facts In
regard to them as have obtained.
Martin Van Buren, Bates was born In
the year 1917. In Letcher county. KY,
one Of the mountain counties OF the east
ern part of the State. He was remarkably
large when a child, and his growth was
something phenomenal. his height on his
eleventh birthday being six feet. and his
weight about 10 pounds. He was an
awkward sort OF country boy, and
attended the "deestrict schools on the
Kentucky river In winter. 1t is said that
he was a dull student. and gave the old
school-house in that section considerable
trouble in learning him the "A, Il, C's."
In 1861. when Martin was IL years old.
he became n private In the Third Ken
lucky Infantry Of the Confederate army.
and was promoted TO captaincy at Is.
He distinguished himself in several bat
ties, and was severely wounded while In
the service. When he was 81 years old
his height was little short of eight feet,
and his weight was nearly 400 pounds.
His father was man OF more than ordi-
nary stature, his height being about six
feet, two inches but his mother was not
larger than the average woman. His
three brothers were each about six feet
and rather heavily built.
GREAT EXECUTION.
In 1870 Bates made tour through Eng
land. where he was exhibited to admlring
crowds. During this tour pamphlets were
sold throughout that country setting forth
his exploits In the civil war, Illustrated
by wood-cuts representing the giant with
an enormous sword. the centre Of a mis-
cellaneous whirl OF loose arms, legs. heads.
and odd joints. during tremendous execu-
ton among his enemies. While on this
tour he met Miss Anna II. Swan, the
"NoYa Scotia Giantess." who was only
an inch or two less in height than himself,
and who tipped the beam at about his
own figures. They became acquainted.
and were married year or two later.
Fer several years after their marriage
they were on exhibition in various parts
OF Europe and America and after gaining
n competency they settled down to pri-
vate life on q farm near Seville. in Me-
dina county, o.. where the Captain still
resides. having survived his wife. who
died some four or five years ago.
A BIG HOUSE.
On this farm he had dwelling erected,
of which II Is a difficult matter to convey
an adequate idea OF its proportions. The
doors in this dwelling are ten feet high.
width I'm proportion. and the door-knobs
are nearly as high as an average mans
head. The bedchamber Is on the ground
floor in the main building. The couch
upon which the big couple slept was made
expressly for them, and it IS said 10 be
a curiosity 10 look nj. 1t Is ten feet long.
width in proportion, and nearly twice as
high as a common bed. The magnificent
dresslng-case IL said to be huge affair.
with a glass upon It nearly as large as
the side Of a house.
OUT FOR A DRIVE.
It Is said to have been an astonishing
cihtAt - SNI AiiS biS tOdplc Jul lOA al tlisf,
the wheels Of their ponderous carriage
reaching almost to the second story of a
house 1t was drawn by six stout Norman
horses.
Captain Bates was familiar figure in
this vicinity twenty-five years ago, and
your correspondent, when q small boy,
saw him riding along the road upon an
ordinary-slzed horse. and he remembers
wondering how the horse could carry such
Il ponderous weight upon his back.
I have been told that the Captain has
married again since the death OF his first
wife, and that he welded a small woman.