Wild Men of Borneo facts for kids
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The Wild Men of Borneo, named Waino and Plutanor, were two brothers who were very strong. They were known for being part of P. T. Barnum's famous shows. These shows featured people with unique abilities or appearances. The brothers were small in size, a condition called dwarfism.
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Who Were the Wild Men of Borneo?
Waino and Plutanor were actually named Hiram W. and Barney Davis. They were brothers from a farm in Pleasant Township, Knox County, Ohio. Hiram was born in 1825 and Barney in 1827. Their parents were David Harrison Davis and Catherine Blydenburgh. After their father passed away, their mother remarried.
Their Size and Strength
Each brother was about 102 centimeters (40 inches) tall. They weighed around 20 kilograms (45 pounds). Even though they were small, they were incredibly strong! They could lift heavy weights. They even wrestled with audience members during their shows.
How They Became Famous
In 1852, a traveling showman named Doctor Warner discovered Hiram and Barney. He gave them new names, Waino and Plutanor. He also created an exciting story for them. He said they came from the island of Borneo. The story claimed they were captured after a big fight with sailors.
At first, they had some success. However, some newspapers thought they were just small people from the United States. They soon started performing at state fairs across the country. By 1860, they were living with another showman, Henry Harvey. Later, Hanford A. Warner, a relative of Doctor Warner, took over managing them.
Their Time with P. T. Barnum
In 1874, the brothers were considered very valuable. By 1882, Waino and Plutanor joined P. T. Barnum's traveling shows. Barnum was famous for his amazing ways of promoting acts. With his help, the brothers' careers really took off.
Over the next 25 years, they earned about $200,000. This was a huge amount of money back then, like earning $6,000,000 today! Their shows mostly involved showing off their great strength. They would lift adult audience members. They also wrestled with people from the audience and each other. It was said they could each lift up to 136 kilograms (300 pounds).
In the 1890s, Hanford Warner's son, Ernest, took over managing the brothers. This happened because Hanford became blind.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1903, the Warner family stopped the brothers from performing. Hiram passed away on March 16, 1905, in Waltham, Massachusetts. After his brother's death, Barney stopped working. Their former manager, Hanford Warner, died in 1910. Barney passed away on May 31, 1912, also in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The two brothers are buried together in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Their gravestone simply says "Little Men." Newspapers from that time reported them being buried in Waltham, Massachusetts. It is not known when their bodies were moved to Ohio.
See also
In Spanish: Waino y Plutanor para niños
