i.e. Chang and Eng Bunker born in Siam (modern-day Thailand)Siamese Twins (1811-1874)
the original "Siamese Twins"
real name: Chang and Eng-in Chun
A fictionalized account of the real-life, and iponymous, Siamese twinsStrauss, Darin. Chang and Eng (Dutton, 2003)
a first novel
Excerpts: Chapter 1
also teenreads.comA reading group guide to the novel
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/3403/twins/story.html
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/3403/twins/EngChang.html
The most famous conjoined twins, Eng and Chang, were born to a Chinese father and half Chinese half Malaysian mother at Mae-Klong, about 60 miles west of Bangkok, Siam, in May 11, 1811. Eng-in and ChangChun were their real names.
Eng was on the right and Chang was on the left. A ligament from breast to navel that became 4 inches long and 8 inches around joined them. Eng was 5 feet 2 inches tall and Chang was an inch shorter when they became adult. They have dual life since they were born. They learned to walk, run, and swim together with perfect coordination. After their father died, they sold duck eggs to make a living.
Robert Hunter, a British merchant, found the twins. He promised to pay $3,000 to Eng and Chang's mother, but she received only $500. In 1829, Eng and Chang left Siam and never went back again. Hunter and his American partner, Captain Able Coffin, managed the twins showing there in theaters and concert halls in Europe and America for a few years before they declared their independence when they became 21 year old.
During the first show in Boston, Eng and Chang simply stood on stage and showed how they walked and ran. Soon, they showed somersaults, backslaps and demonstration of strength. They have ever lifted the biggest audience, weight about 280 pounds.
Eng and Chang had good health because they was inspected by local doctor in every city they visited
After declaring their independence in 1832, they continued presenting shows for about 7 years. During the time, they met Dr. James Callway at Wilkesboro, North Carolina. He suggested they needed to rest. Eng and Chang also liked the people and the area in Wilkesboro.
Eng and Chang decided to retired from their show life of 10 years and settled in North Carolina in 1839. There was shortage of school and hospital, and the major economy was agriculture such as cotton, tobacco, and moonshine. Eng and Chang became agriculturist and had a 1,000-acre farm.
They applied for United States citizenship and received it. They also got the Bunker surname.
Eng and Chang were interested in two sisters of Wilkesboro, Adelaide (Addie) and Sarah (Sally) Yates. Chang was the first who felt in love with Addie, who was younger. Eng also felt in love with Sally. The town people and the girls’ parents objected to the wedding.
Finally, they married at the Yates home in 1843. Chang and Eng built a new house at Trap Hill, 12 miles northeast of Wilkesboro. Not quite a year after they married, Sally gave birth a baby girl, six days later Addie also born a baby girl. A year later, 2 babies were born, this time 8 days apart. A new house at Mt. Airy was bought for the children in 1852. In 1860, Addie had 7 children and Sally had 9 children.
The financial pressures forced Eng and Chang back to the show again in 1849, 1853, and 1860. In 1868, the twins left North Carolina for a tour of Europe. A second reason for the tour was surgical separation, but the war between France and Prussia in 1870 forced them to turn back to North Carolina.
On winter night of January 16, 1874 at Mt. Airy house, Chang died because he had been drinking heavily and his health became frail. The doctor found blood cot in his brain. Eng also died 3 hours later because he was shocked by the death of his brother. They were born together and they also died together at age 63 year old. They had the total of 21 children. Eng had 11 children, and Chang had 10 children. None of them were twins.
