Four unbelievable true facts about Chang and Eng Bunker, the world’s most famous conjoined twins

Chang and Eng Bunker remain the most famous conjoined twins in history, and for good reason: they were a phenomenon in their time and well after. But their extraordinary lives didn’t stop with their biological irregularity. These four unbelievable items show just how amazing they were.

We looked through the University of North Carolina’s Chang and Eng collection to find the most interesting facts.

1. They were the origin of Siamese Twins

A conjoined twin is sometimes called a Siamese twin. There’s a reason, and it’s not because people from Thailand have a higher probability of being conjoined.

It’s because of Chang and Eng. The duo became so famous, thanks to P.T. Barnum and their own incredible show-biz savvy, that they became synonymous with all conjoined people. Before coming to America, Chang and Eng were born in 1811 in Thailand, and their fame was so legendary that the term Siamese Twins stuck for everybody.

2. They owned slaves

It’s one of the most bizarre facts about Chang and Eng: these Asian-American conjoined twins owned slaves.

After touring the United States and world, the brothers had a small fortune they could invest however they chose. They settled in Wilkes Barre, North Carolina and owned a farm. At the time, owning a farm meant owning slaves.

It wasn’t just a coincidental commitment to the Southern way of life, however—both Chang and Eng’s sons fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War.

3. They were both married—and fathered 21 children between them

Yes, Chang and Eng each married. In 1843, they married Adelaide and Sarah Yates (who were sisters, but not conjoined). The marriage wasn’t just for companionship. The brothers had a total of 21 children.

That makes for an entire community of Bunker descendants. It’s so large, in fact, that they have a massive family reunion in North Carolina that recently drew 200 people. That number seems impressive until you learn that Chang and Eng have more than 1,500 descendants.

4. Eng watched Chang die

The connection between Chang and Eng wasn’t vital, which made it possible for Eng to watch his brother die.

The full morbid story—including the subsequent plaster cast made of their bodies—is a tragic end to the duo’s surprisingly normal lives. Chang had struggled with alcoholism and his health while Eng was relatively healthier. That led to Chang’s death in 1874, which Eng witnessed. Eng lived three hours longer than his brother and then died himself. Doctors still don’t know why, though some suspect shock was the cause.

 

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