Eng And Chang Bunker Siamese Twins
Conjoined Twins
Eng And Chang Bunker Conjoined Twins
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Their mother refused to let doctors attempt the risky surgery that would separate the two for fear it would kill one or both of them. Instead she taught them to stretch the skin that joined them so that they could stand side by side instead of face to face. successfully and lived separate lives.
The most famous conjoined twins in history were Eng and Chang Bunker who were born in Siam, which is modern day Thailand. They are the ones that originated the term Siamese Twins.
Born to a Chinese father and half-Chinese, half-Malay mother on May 11, 1811, while growing up in Siam the boys were known as "The Chinese Twins".
At first believed to be an omen to the superstitious people of their native village, they eventually brought great celebrity to their town as people from all over travelled to catch a glimpse of the boys.
A scottish merchant, Robert Hunter, discovered the boys by accident in 1824 and soon became a friend of the family.
A request to the Siamese government to take the boys abroad was at first denied but in April of 1829 with the help of a partner, Abel Coffin, and a payment to the boys mother, the government agreed to let the boys travel with the pair. So it was off to Boston for the 17 year old twins.
After a very successful tour of the United States it was off to Europe where they were examined by doctors and visited by royalty. With the exception of France who refused to let them enter the country they toured with Coffin until 1832 when they broke off their arrangement, after realizing he was taking the vast majority of the earnings and joined up with PT Barnum with whom they toured with until 1839 when they decided to quit touring and settle down.
They chose Wilkesboro, North Carolina to settle and became farmers.
They became United States citizens in 1839 but because they had no last name they were listed as Eng and Chang, Siamese Twins. in 1844 they petitioned the government for permission to adopt the sir name Bunker, which was granted.
The brothers began dating Adelaide and Sarah Ann Yates, daughters of a local preacher David Yates. The towns people voiced their disapproval so the brothers scheduled a separation surgery in Philadelphia. When the girls found out they quickly put a stop to it so in April, 1843, Chang was married to Adelaide and Eng to Sarah Ann in a double wedding.
From this union Eng fathered six boys and five girls and Chang fathered seven girls and three boys. All were normal except for a son and daughter of Chang's who were deaf mutes.
Chang Bunker died after a severe case of bronchitis in January 1874 and his brother Eng died shortly after. It was determined after they died that they could have been separated successfully and lived separate lives.
