Ah, good to know. I imagined that it would have lead to mom and twins dying horribly absence surgery. I don’t want to think too much about how a woman could have them naturally, though…
Wow. That is so gross. And I thought it would be gross to have my husband die in his sleep next to me. To wake up next to a dead body. Eeww. But that’s nothing like having a dead body *attached *to me!
And, for the first time in your entire life, from even before you were born, you were completely alone.
Regards,
Shodan
Been there, done that- it’s not as scary as you might think. More just ‘well this is new’.
With Chang & Eng they sent for a surgeon to separate them. The survivor was dead before they returned, but the surgery would probably have been far more traumatic to everybody since with 19th century medical technology and lots of shared blood vessels and a partly shared liver (IIRC they each had a full liver but the livers were connected) it would have been something worthy of Madame Tussaud’s.
The brothers actually considered separation before their weddings but their wives supposedly told them “We like you as you are- living”. Good thing because they’d have certainly both died.
I remember a news article on twins who were connected similarly to Chang and Eng who were successfully separated as babies but even months later they could only sleep if they clung to each other. I’ve wondered if they still do upon occasion.
There’s a rumor- more of a conspiracy theory I suppose- that the wife of one of the Dodge Brothers heirs gave birth to a set of twins joined at the back. Per the legend they were successfully separated, leaving both with terrible scars but generally healthy and hearty- and one of the sisters was adopted by one of Dodge’s executives. It hinges on the claims ofLucille Mealbach, who learned she was adopted late in life and then fought her claim until she was in her 90s. (She died earlier this year at 94.)
A family picture of Chang and Eng. Not a great picture, considering the time.
There seems to be an oompah loompah in the back row (to the left of the twins/right as you face them).
There seems to be an oompah loompah in the back row (to the left of the twins/right as you face them).
Chang and Eng meant “right and left” incidentally (though the pronunciation is closer to Jin/In I understand).
Well, this is pretty dang strange… this very afternoon, 'bout 6 hours ago, I was standing at the White Plains Baptist church in Mt. Airy, NC, paying my respects at Eng and Chang’s gravesite. I’ve always been fascinated by them, and was up that way, so paid the visit. The church is adjacent to the land they lived on: the twins had donated the land and helped build the church. There’s also a very small bridge(har) running over the creek that runs through the area, designated the Chang and Eng Bunker memorial bridge, sign up and all.
Mt. Airy’s main claim to fame is as Andy Griffith’s hometown, and the basis for Mayberry. It’s a sweet little town, but way on out there now with the Mayberry circus and souvenir overload. The main street has T-shirt shops with the theme song whistle blaring, an Otis impersonator staggering around with a l’il brown jug, old timey candy store and soda shop, and hoardes of 60-somethings looking for the good ol’ days. I don’t blame 'em, and will say it’s helped keep the downtown area in good shape. But, after an hour, the words outta my mouth were, “Yikes, what a freakshow!”
By contrast, Eng and Chang’s gravesite was peaceful, with a great lookout to the mountains that ring the area. I didn’t see any Siamese Twin chotckas for sale (actually kinda sad about that…was secretly hoping for cheap Chinese S&P shakers), or any big mention made of them in the downtown area. Ain’t life odd?
But, Sampiro, there was one big book in the town museum gift shop, written by a descendant, that caught my eye. Large tome, with lots of family info, priced at $100, so, had to put it back on the shelf. If you’re interested, contact the Mt. Airy museum.
Oh, and I did have an aquaintance with one of Eng’s great grandaughters back in college; she was blondish, with beautiful hazel almond eyes.
Cool story, Elelle. I’d have done exactly the same thing about the book- look it through, say that’s nice, and put it back.
I do have a pair of porcelain Chang-Engs made as a souvenier for their tours (but the molds were used long after their demise so not sure if it’s original or not). I’d love to get a poster.
How hilly or mountainy is the Mt. Airy area? I’ve wondered about the details of their burial- I’m assuming they were buried in one big coffin at the base of the headstone with a wife on either side but I’m not sure of that. Any info?
I think the nicer of their houses still stands but is a private residence. The other is long gone.
I’ve always hoped that one day some action figure or PVC figure manufacturer will release a “Famous Freaks” line with scaled (vital they be scaled) figures of Chang-Eng, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Thumb, Mr. & Mrs. M.V. Bates, et al. I’d certainly buy them.
for all you bunker fans, if you haven’t seen this before…
a Life Mag article from 1952
Sampiro, standing at their grave today, which is the first one you come to in the graveyard; it’s a plot about 12’ by 7’, with the brothers and wives buried there, another large Bunker plot with 4 others to the left. There is a NC historical marker on the road marking the twin’s significance, and a little brochure box with a history of the twins at the entrance to the cemetary. There wasn’t anyone else there this afternoon. Again, the main feeling for me, in seeing the Mayberry circus downtown, was that these guys six feet under right in front of me, who were a main world sensation of their day, are just a footnote in the town’s history now. There is no presence in the tourist shops downtown. It’s all Barney Fife. Think about how weird that is, really.
Very. They’ve gone with a TV show that was sorta kinda based on the childhood of someone who lived their 70 years ago rather than two of the most amazing people in U.S. history. But, I’m guessing Andy and Barney bring a lot more money to the place.
They should at least have a statue, or a small museum. I’m sure the family could kick in enough photos and memorabilia for one, even if it’s reproduction.
Reminds me of a hotel I used to work at: the VIP suite on the Sixth Floor was the nicest in town in the 1970s. It was once used by Elvis Presley, it was used by Ladybird Johnson and Truman Capote and Rosa Parks whenever they came to town (all had relatives in the area who they visited occasionally), and by the governors whenever there was a VIP guest of the state. That’s why the brass on marble plaque outside proudly proclaimed it
THE ROY CLARK SUITE
But, in thinking about it all before heading of to the peace of my own sleep tonight: perhaps those Freakshow Siamese Twins did find peace and normality there in an unlikely place across the planet from their place of birth to Mt Airy, NC. They left plenty of descendents there, who are a great part of their community, but don’t show it off.
Round we go, to the Gosselins, who, I dunno, do they have any community besides the TV?
Sampiro, in preview, read yer post---- what’s amusing me immensely is that, watching the TV in the hotel I was staying there in Pilot Mt, near Mt Airy,watched Hee Haw an the TV for the first time in decades, and, upon seeing Roy Clark, again, for decades, said to my Hon: “Well, fuck, who the hell remembers Roy Clark any more???”
We really have to stop meeting like this.
Mini-bump, being for the benefit of Elelle but others may have an interest:
I was at the bookstore last night and started flipping through a book calledThe Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town Americaby Billy Bryson. Flipping through the index looking for places I’ve been so I could get a notion of its reliability I saw there was a two (2) page entry for Mt. Airy. While I haven’t been there I turned to that section because I was curious whether he mentioned Griffith more or the Bunkers.
He mentioned NEITHER!!!
How can you spend two (2) pages on Mt. Airy, North Carolina and mention neither of the two (2) things it’s known for?
Needless to say I put it back on the (needless to say) sale rack.
So what did he talk about for two pages?
Mainly a person he met while there and the hill scenery. Could have been pretty much any small town within 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
Which could mean that he wasn’t even really there.
Well, you think Bryson would have researched the town’s history a bit better to include Mayberry, and certainly, the Bunker twins. But, since that book was written about his 1987-88 travels, the Mayberry circus I witnessed probably didn’t exist like it is now.
Did he mention The Snappy Lunch and their World Famous Pork Chop Sandwich? That might absolve him some.
And, Sampiro, hon, I think you oughtta pitch yer idea of to scale Human Oddity figurines to a toy company. I sure would buy them, the whole set. I’ve always loved the wonder of how many different types of bodies human beings can have, not in a gawking sense, but as rather marvelous.
When you come visit me in Philly, I’ll take you to the Mutter Museum.
I have a couple of coffee table books they put out. Next time I make it to Philly I want to go there and to the U-PA ancient history museum.
What I’ve always found oddly reassuring is how many of them (certainly not all, but many if not most) had such normal lives. Chang & Eng, the 8 foot tall Mr. & Mrs. Bates, the Strattons/Thumbs, etc., all married and had friends and houses and other than their little something different or livelihood methods lived like most other people. (Of course it’s also irritating as I’ve mentioned that Chang and Eng found wives and I can’t find a date.)