topics: |  biography

Chang and Eng Bunker were the first conjoined twins who came to the
attention of the world.  They were born in Thailand in 1811, and were taken
on a world tour by Robert Hunter and exhibited across many cities.
After finishing their contract, they continued on their own.  In 1839, they
purchased a plantation in North Carolina, and settled down, marrying two
sisters.  They had 21 children (Chang 10 / Eng 11). 

They are the originator of the term "Siamese Twins". 

They were joined at the ribcage and their livers were fused, but
functionally independent.  Modern surgical techniques would have permitted
separation, but they lived their lives conjoined.   

When Chang died suddenly of pneumonia, Eng woke up to find his brother
dead.  He died three hours later, of what has been called "mental shock". 

This book was published by T.W. Strong; no author is given. 


    Eng is always on the right, and Chang 
    on the left. Their names are
    pronounced as if spelt Chun and In.

Excerpts

One of the first events Chang and Eng can recall is the performance of an
itinerant theater company... 15
Siamese drama has no dramatic compositions, strictly speaking, i.e. no
performances containing a regular written dialogue.  16

owing to the mysterious sympathy existing between them they always acted from
the same impulse 16
Throughout their life, the accident of their birth, which, at first thought,
one would consider a misfortune, has proved beneficial to the extreme.  17
	[see Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness, on how most
	conjoined twins consider themselves happy.

At an early age they received the usual amount of teaching given to the
middling classes, and learned to read and write their native language with
tolerable proficiency.  As with other Asiatic nations, a smattering of
education is very generally diffused among the Siamese, so that they can at
least read and write, although you do not meet among them either dextrous
scribes, or clever accountants, as you may in Hindostan. 17

At the present time they know "scarcely a word of Siamese.  The English
language they speak correctly, and read, write and cypher with perfect
ease. 18

[they remember the funeral (cremation) ceremony for their father, who died
when they were 8] 19-20

[At age 14, they receive a summons to appear before the court king; they are]
overwhelmed with awe, as the veneration attached to the person of the king
of Siam, by his subjects, is perhaps, without parallel in any other land.
[p. 28 - description of this veneration]
p.31 - they visit the palace, the monarch is on a 15 foot throne; after the
king retires, the courtiers inspect them, and then the seven hundred royal
consorts (wives). 

In London, Miss Sophia, a young lady of respectable connections, by some
unaccountable caprice, fell violently in love with both.  The twins had been
pronounced two distinct individuals, by the most prominent members of the
British medical faculty, and had her passion been fully returned, she would
[have been at risk of] an action for bigamy.  p. 63-64

[carts in paris had numbers, by 1835] p. 65

[a horse-driven "diligence"] will whirl you over hill and plain, without
giving you an opportunity of examining -- hardly of looking -- at objects
of interest on your route, making the longest delays at such places as you
would gladly get over the soonest. 69

Arrived in NY on 7 Aug 1836, by the brig Francia 72

In the middle of one dark night, the twins were aroused from their slumbers
[they go out and shoot a predating wolf called Bob-tail] 74-75

marriage to daughters of Daniel Yeats, who resided six miles N of
Wilksbarre.  Sarah Ann Yeats becoming Mrs Eng, and Adelaide Yeats becoming
Mrs. Chang Bunkers. 77

Mrs. Eng is now the mother of six children, and Mrs. Chang of five. 78

Messrs. Chang and Eng are remarkable for their energy and industry... the
most expert wood choppers, even in that wooden country.  The two generally
chop with a single axe, but each can use one at the same time without
interfering with each other.  In this manner they will chop on the opposite
sides of a tree, and bring it down in an exceedingly short space of time.
p. 79

They are visited by great numbers of people drawn thither by curiosity, and
always treat visitors with the utmost civility.  They are devotedly attached
to their families, and appear perfectly contented with their situation, being
decidedly domestic in their habits, rarely going away from home, unless
called away on business.  They acknowledge themselves to entertain a strong
christian faith, or belief, and are regular attendants at church and other
religious meetings, where they deport themselves as good citizens of the land
of their adoption.  They are strong politicians, and take a lively interest
in all elections in the district.

In speaking of themselves each uses the singular number, as for instance, "I
bought this land" at such a time.  They play chess and draughts tolerably
well, but it affords them no amusement to play these games in opposition to
each other.

[good at training horses - they purchase a neighbour's untame-able black colt
for a pittance, and then sell it back, trained, to the same owners. 82]

[

Elliott, John M. (publ);
A short account of the lives of Chang and Eng Bunker published under their supervision in 1838.
Elliott, John M., 1838
elliott-John-1838_short-account-Chang-Eng-Bunker

An 1838 pamphlet, supervised by Chang & Eng.
(see fulltext : archive.org, book at U.S. National Library of Medicine )

Chang and Eng were born of Chinese parents, in May, 1811, at the city of
Maklong, sixty miles from Bunkok.

Eng is always on the right, and Chang on the left. Their names are pronounced
as if spelt Chun and In.

After their father's death at age 8, they became traders, initially making
cocoa-nut oil, which is very laborious,
and then raising ducks and selling duck eggs.  For duck food they caught
small shrimps at sea, twice a week.

Left Siam on 1 April 1829 on US ship Sachem; arr Boston 16 August.  visited
Providence and NY, and then left for England by ship "Robert Edwards", landed
at Lonon 19 Nov 1829.  Again in 4 Mar 1831, left for NY on Cambria.  ]

They are joined by a band - if touched in the centre, both are equally
sensible to it, but if half an inch from the centre, it is only felt by one. 8

Eng is 5'2" in height, and Chang is one inch shorter, but Chang has soles in
his feet to raise him on a level with his brother. 8