Giantess. A Canadian from Mill Brook, New Annan, (near present-day Tatamagouche), Colchester County, her parents were Scottish immigrants. She was the 3rd of 13 children, all of her siblings and both of her parents were of average size. She weighed 18 pounds at birth and was twenty-seven inches long, but she grew very fast. On her 4th birthday she was 4 feet 6 inches tall. On her 6th birthday she stood 5 foot 2 inches tall. By her 15th birthday, she stood just over seven feet tall. She finally reached a full height of 7 feet 5 and one half inches tall three years later. She excelled at literature and music and was considered to be very intelligent. She was also noted for her studies in acting, piano, and voice. She was discovered in 1862 by P.T. Barnum, but at first she refused Barnum's offer to tour. He paid her handsomely, and at last she joined his show. She toured Europe and made several visits to the UK in the 1860's. When visiting a circus in Halifax she met Martin Van Buren Bates — another giant. The giant couple became a touring sensation and eventually fell in love and, on 17 June 1871 in St Martin-in-the-fields in London, they married. They had two children but neither survived. The couple moved to Seville, Ohio, in June 1874 upon their return from the United Kingdom. They purchased 120 acres of land and had furniture made to their specifications. The main part of the house had 14 foot ceilings. The doors were extra wide and were 8 and a 1/2 feet tall. The back part of the house was built an average size for servants and guests. Whilst touring in the summer of 1878 Anna found that she was pregnant for the second time. The baby was born on 19 January, but he survived only a day. He was the largest newborn ever recorded, 22 pounds and 28 inches long. The grieving couple joined the tour company of W.W. Cole in the summer of 1879, and again in the spring of 1880, but that was to be their final tour. Anna died suddenly and unexpectedly at her home just one day before her 42nd birthday, succumbing to heart failure after struggling with a thyroid goitre. Anna, Martin and their children are all buried in Mound Hill Cemetery, Seville, Ohio. According to the plaque on the headstone, she was 7' 11" tall and weighed 413 pounds and her husband was 7'9" tall and weighed over 470 pounds.
Giantess. A Canadian from Mill Brook, New Annan, (near present-day Tatamagouche), Colchester County, her parents were Scottish immigrants. She was the 3rd of 13 children, all of her siblings and both of her parents were of average size. She weighed 18 pounds at birth and was twenty-seven inches long, but she grew very fast. On her 4th birthday she was 4 feet 6 inches tall. On her 6th birthday she stood 5 foot 2 inches tall. By her 15th birthday, she stood just over seven feet tall. She finally reached a full height of 7 feet 5 and one half inches tall three years later. She excelled at literature and music and was considered to be very intelligent. She was also noted for her studies in acting, piano, and voice. She was discovered in 1862 by P.T. Barnum, but at first she refused Barnum's offer to tour. He paid her handsomely, and at last she joined his show. She toured Europe and made several visits to the UK in the 1860's. When visiting a circus in Halifax she met Martin Van Buren Bates — another giant. The giant couple became a touring sensation and eventually fell in love and, on 17 June 1871 in St Martin-in-the-fields in London, they married. They had two children but neither survived. The couple moved to Seville, Ohio, in June 1874 upon their return from the United Kingdom. They purchased 120 acres of land and had furniture made to their specifications. The main part of the house had 14 foot ceilings. The doors were extra wide and were 8 and a 1/2 feet tall. The back part of the house was built an average size for servants and guests. Whilst touring in the summer of 1878 Anna found that she was pregnant for the second time. The baby was born on 19 January, but he survived only a day. He was the largest newborn ever recorded, 22 pounds and 28 inches long. The grieving couple joined the tour company of W.W. Cole in the summer of 1879, and again in the spring of 1880, but that was to be their final tour. Anna died suddenly and unexpectedly at her home just one day before her 42nd birthday, succumbing to heart failure after struggling with a thyroid goitre. Anna, Martin and their children are all buried in Mound Hill Cemetery, Seville, Ohio. According to the plaque on the headstone, she was 7' 11" tall and weighed 413 pounds and her husband was 7'9" tall and weighed over 470 pounds.
Bio by: Margaret Gunn
Family Members
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George Swan
1845–1845
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Margaret Swan
1847–1848
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Margaret "Maggie" Swan
1853–1875
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John Swan
1855–1915
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Mary J. Swan McIntosh
1856–1922
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George William Swan
1856–1927
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Elizabeth M "Lizzie" Swan Biswanger
1860–1953
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Christine R. Swan Murdock
1863–1887
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James Swan
1864–1913
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David Alexander Swan
1871–1872
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Arthur Nelson Swan
1873–1960
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Babe Anna Swan Martin
