The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1913-11-26
Bates The
Giant
Something About the Man
Who Grew.so Large.
(BY FRANK MONROE BEvERr.

executed photogravure of Capt.
Martin Van Buren, Bates. 1.-The
Kentucky Giant" and his first
wife, and from that print some
facts relative 20 the lives of the
noted couple were gained.
Martin Van Buren, Bates was
born in Letcher county, Ken
lucky, by the way inst n few
miles beyond our western Dor.
der. He was remarkably large
when Il child, and his growth
as the years passed was some
thing phenomenal, his height
on his eleventh birthday being
six feet and his weight no
pounds. He was an awkward
country boy, and attend the
"deestick schools" on the Ken.
lucky river i'll winter. He was
a dull student, and gave the
old-time teachers considerable
trouble.
In 1861, when Martin was
only IA years of age, he became
a private in the Third Kentucky
Infantry, and was promoted to
captaIncy at 10. He distin-
guished himself in several bat
I es while in the service of the
Confederacy. He was severely
wounded in one Of the several
engagements around Cumber
land Gap. When 81 his height
was little hort of eight feet,
and h i $ weight nearly 400
pounds. His father was man
of more than ordinary stature,
his height being 6 feet and .
inches. His mother was an
average sized woman. 7 h e
combined weight of his three
brothers did but little exceed
his own.
In 1870 Bates made n tour of
England, where he was exhibit
ted to admiring crowds. While
he was entour pamphlets were
sold throughout the country
setting fourth his wonderful ex
PLOTS in the civil war. These
pamphlets were illustrated
with wood cuts representing
the Giant with an enormous
sword, and as the central fig
ure in a promiscuous whirl of
loose legs, arms, head and odd
! Joints, doing tremendous exc
cution among his enemies. So
great an attraction did he prove
in that country that the late
Queen Victora invi ed him to
h e palace at Buckingham
where h e was the guest of
honor. Before taking his leave
Her Majesty presented him a
watch valued at 500 pounds
English, or about $1,000 Ameri
can money.
While on this tour Bates met
Miss Anna X. Swan, who was
a native of Nova Scotia. He
fell in love with her, and the
passion was reciprocated. She
was Inch taller than Bates, be
ing feet and IL inches while
he was Z feet and 10 inches.
The Giantess tipped the beam
at about the Captains own fig
ures, that being little more
than 500. Their marriage took
place about a year after their
meeting,
After their marriage for sew
eral years this couple of gener-
Gus proportions we're exhibited
in various parts of Europe and
America. Having gained a
competency they purchased q
farm near Seville, Medina coun-
ty, Ohio, where they settled
down to private life. On the
farm was erected a dwelling
the proportions @ f which il
would be a difficult matter to
convey a correct idea. The
doors were 10 feet in height
with a width in proportion.
The door knobs were nearly as
high as an average mans head.
The bedchamber was on the
ground floor. The couch upon
which the couple slept was
made expressly for them. II
was 10 feet long, the width pro.
portiouate to the length, and
nearly twice as high as the
common bedstead. The mag
nifscept dressing case was 3