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Anna Haining Bates was a Canadian woman who was one of the tallest ever, reaching 7 feet 11 inches (2.41 m) in height. She married another giant, Martin Van Buren Bates, and had two children who were also very large.
Jul 18, 2023 · On 19 January 1879, Anna, who stood at 7 ft 11 in (241.3 cm) gave birth to a baby boy who lived for just 11 hours. Despite his short life, the child, referred to as “Babe”, broke two records that still stand today. Babe was both the longest baby and the heaviest birth documented in all of history.
- Vicki Newman
- She Was The Odd One Out
- She Grew Rapidly
- She Had A Special Condition
- They Had Her Back
- She Became A Spectacle
- She Earned Her Keep
- Her Family Stayed with Her
- She Tried to Be Normal
- Her Dreams Were Simple
- Her Grandmother Helped Her
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Anna Haining Bates was born on August 6, 1846, in Nova Scotia. Her parents were Ann Graham and Alexander Swan who were both immigrants from Scotland. Bates was a part of a very large family, as she was the third of 13 children—all of whom were average-sized. But of course, Bates was not one to blend in with the rest. Wikimedia Commons // Houghton L...
While some sources say Bates may have been an average size baby herself, others suggest she weighed 13 pounds right from the very start! By the age of four, most agree that she was over four feet tall and weighed more than 90 pounds. And by the time she reached the age of 15, she was seven feet tall—but this stillwasn’t the end of her “growth spurt...
Although it was never officially diagnosed, it was later determined that Anna Bates was born with gigantism, which occurs from a tumor in the pituitary gland, which in turn then releases excessive growth hormones. Individuals who live with gigantism grow very rapidly and typically have a significantly shorter lifespan. But though Bates had been dea...
Anna Bates’ family was quite sympathetic to their daughter’s unique condition. It’s reported that when she outgrew her elementary school desk, her father built a larger one by hand to accommodate her needs. But that wasn't all. He also built her an extra-large bed to ensure that she stayed just as comfortable as everyone else in the home despite be...
As news spread of this little big girl, people in Nova Scotia began to visit her family’s farm in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her. Local newspapers began to publish stories about her, too, which only added to the increased interest. One paper even referred to her as an "infant giantess". So, from an early age, Bates became a singular curiosi...
Bates’ family needed some financial support. As farmers, they were certainly no strangers to putting their other children to work, and there was no exception when it came to their larger-than-life daughter. Since Bates kept growing, she frequently required new clothing and shoes that were especially expensive. To help obtain more funds, the family ...
Unsurprisingly,there is definitely some controversy surrounding Bates’ touring career as a child.While her family understandably needed the money, some accused her loved ones of parading her around in an exploitative way. Nonetheless, most historians agree that her family stayed genuinely caring and ensured that she was safe at all times by accompa...
Bates wasn’t always just touring around in her youth. She often cared for her younger siblings and tried to occupy her time with reading and staying focused on other artistic interests. So, although her experience certainly wasn’t a common one, she did her best to still engage in all of the typical things that other children did, as well. What's mo...
Anna Bates really wanted to be a teacher, but while staying with an aunt and trying to obtain her education in a different city, she encountered new difficulties. Bates found the classrooms physically constricting because of her size, and the people on the streets in this new place often gawked at her and made her feel especially uncomfortable. Thi...
In order to keep her spirits lifted and her self-esteem in check, Bates’ grandmother often offered her these words of wisdom in regard to her size: “stand tall and be proud of your Highland ancestry”. This appeared to help Bates cope with being different from most people, as she worked towards making a new place for herself in the world. And boy, d...
Learn about the life and challenges of Anna Haining Bates, who was born with gigantism and became a famous attraction in the 19th century. Discover how she coped with her size, pursued her dreams, and met her husband.
Sep 14, 2023 · Learn about Anna Haining Bates, a Canadian woman who stood at 7 feet 11 inches due to gigantism. Discover how she met and married Martin Van Buren Bates, a former Confederate soldier, and became a famous stage performer.
SWAN, ANNA HAINING (Bates), giantess; b. 7 Aug. 1846 at Mill Brook, N.S., one of 13 children of Alexander Swan and Ann Graham; m. 17 June 1871 Martin Van Buren Bates, known as the “Kentucky giant”; d. 5 Aug. 1888 at Seville, Ohio.
- Phyllis R. Blakeley
- SWAN, ANNA HAINING (Bates)
- Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 11
Dec 5, 2022 · Anna Haining Bates was a giantess who performed in the circus with her husband Martin Van Buren Bates. She gave birth to the largest baby ever recorded in 1879, but he died shortly after birth.
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Anna Bates was born at a time when there were no such terms as “fat-shaming” or “body-positive.” So she used her condition to make money at Barnum’s circus. ...
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