Martin Van Buren Bates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martin Van Buren Bates
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| Born | November 9, 1837 |
| Died | January 19, 1919 (aged 81) Seville, Ohio, US
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| Spouse(s) |
Anna Haining Bates
(m. 1871; died 1888)Annette LaVonne Weatherby
(m. 1889) |
Martin Van Buren Bates (born November 9, 1837 – died January 19, 1919) was an American man famous for being very tall. People knew him as the "Kentucky Giant." He was about 7 feet 11 inches (2.41 meters) tall and weighed around 475 pounds (215 kg).
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Growing Up as a Giant
Martin Van Buren Bates was born in Letcher County, Kentucky. He started growing very fast when he was about six or seven years old. By the time he was twelve, he was already over 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall. He also weighed more than 200 pounds (90 kg) at that young age.
Serving in the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Martin Bates joined the Confederate Army in 1861. He was a private in the 5th Kentucky Infantry. Because he was so tall and brave in battles, he quickly became a captain.
During the war, Bates was hurt in a battle near the Cumberland Gap. He was captured and sent to a prison camp called Camp Chase in Ohio. However, he managed to escape later.
Life After the War and Marriage
After the war, Martin Bates went back to Kentucky. Before joining the army, he worked as a schoolteacher.
Later, while he was touring with a circus in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, he met Anna Haining Swan. Anna was also very tall, standing at 7 feet 11 inches (2.41 meters). Martin and Anna quickly became friends.
They got married in 1871 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England. Their wedding was a huge event. Thousands of people wanted to see the unusual couple get married. Even Queen Victoria gave them special wedding gifts: two extra-large, diamond-studded gold watches.
Building a Home in Ohio
In 1872, Martin and Anna moved to Seville, Ohio. They built a very large house there to make sure they could live comfortably. All their furniture was custom-made to fit their size.
Martin decided he wanted to be a farmer. He bought a 130-acre farm and filled it with the best kinds of cattle and strong horses.
Traveling with the Circus Again
Even though he enjoyed farming, Martin and Anna decided to travel with the circus again. From 1878 to 1880, they were big attractions in the W. W. Cole circus.
The couple faced sadness when their baby boy was born on January 15, 1879. He was 28 inches (71 cm) tall and weighed 23 pounds (10 kg), but he passed away shortly after birth.
Later Life and Legacy
Anna Bates died on August 5, 1888. Martin had a statue of her made in Europe for her grave. He then sold their large house and moved into the town of Seville.
In 1889, Martin married again to a woman named Annette LaVonne Weatherby, who was of average height. He lived a mostly quiet life until he passed away in 1919 from a kidney illness.
Images for kids
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Martin van Buren Bates and Anna Haining Bates
See also
In Spanish: Martin van Buren Bates para niños
