The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1895-01-09
Che 4aila 8nlletin.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9, 1876
A KENTUCKY GIANT.
Martin Van Buren, Bates the Sky
scraper OF Letcher County.

SCrAper OF ketCner NOuntY.
In reading the October number
Of the Standard magazine of Lon
don, says a writer in the Richmond
! came across q well-exe-
cuted photogravure representing
Capt. Martin Van Buren, Bates, the
Kentucky Giant" and his former
wife. This recalls to mind the now
almost forgotten giant and giantsss,
who gained such notoriety back in
the '7O's, not only in America, but in
Europe also, and thinking that q
sketch OF these characters OF "gener-
Gus proportions" would be accept
able to readers of the Dispatch !
will record such facts in regard to
them as l have obtained.
Martin Van Buren, Bates was born
in the year 1S47 in Letcher county,
Kentucky, one Of the mountain
counties OF the eastern part Of the
state. He was remarkably large
when 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 a 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
time teachers who taught in the log
schoolhouse in that section consider
able trouble in teaching him the "A,
b, C's." In 1861, when Martin was
fourteen years old, he became a pri-
vate in the Third Kentucky infantry
OF the confederate army, and was
promoted to the captaincy at Is.
He distinguished himself in several
battles, and was severely wounded
while in the service. When he was
II years old his height was a little
short Of eight feet, and his weight
was nearly 400 pounds. His father
was a man OF more than ordinary
stature, his height being about six
feet 2 inches, but his mother was
not larger than the average woman.
His three brothers were each about
six feet aud rather heavily built.
In 1870 Bates made tour through
England, where he was exhibited to
admiring crowds. During this tour
pamphlets were sold throughout
that country setting forth his eI-
ploits in the civil war, illustrated by
wood cuts representing the giant
with an enormous sword, the center
OF a miscellaneous whirl OF loose
arms, legs, heads, and odd joints,
doing tremendous execution among
his enemies. While on this tour he
met Miss Anna II. Swan, the Nova
Scotia Giantess,' who was only an
inch or less in height than himself,
and who tipped the beam at about
his own figures. They became &C.
quainted and were married . year or
two later.
For several years after their mar
riage they were on exhibition in
various parts of Europe and Amer
lea, and after gaining q competency
they settled down to private life on
farm near Seville, in Medina couu-
ty, Ohio, where the captain still re-
sides, having survived his wife, who
died four or five years ago.
On this farm he had . dwelling
erected, OF which it was q difficult
matter to convey an adequate idea
OF its proportions. The doors in
this dwelling are ten feet high, width
in proportion, and the door-knobs
are nearly as high rs an average
mans head. The bed chamber is on
the ground floor in the main build.
ing. The couch upon which the big
couple slept was made expressly fol
them, and it is said to be curiosity
to look at. 1t is ten feet long, width
in proportion, and nearly twice a,
high as q common bed. The magni
fcent dressing case is said to be /,
huge affair, with . glass upon il
nearly as large as the side OF a house
Ii is said to have been an aston
ishing sight to see this big coupl,
out for a drive, the wheels OF theil
ponderous carriage reaching almos
to the second story OF house. II
was drawn by six stout Norman
horses.
Capt. Bates was a familiar fgur,
in this vicinity twenty-five years ago
and your correspondent when
small boy saw him riding upon thu
road on the back Of a large sizst
horse, and he remembers wondering
how the horse could carry such
ponderous weight upon his back.
| have been told that the captain
has married again since the death O
his first wife and that he welded
small woman.