Chang Bunker
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multiple births such as twins, triplet, and quadruplets. Twins occur about once in 100 pregnancies,
triplets occur about once in 10,000 pregnancies, and quadruplets occur about once in 600,000
pregnancies.
There are two types of twins, identical twins and nonidentical twins or fraternal twins. Identical twins
have the same identity and sex because they are from a single egg and a single sperm and divided into
two embryos. Nonidentical twins or fraternal twins may be the same sex or different sexes and have
different identities because they are from 2 eggs and 2 sperm.
Siamese twins or conjoined twins are always identical twins, joined in some part of their body such as
the hip, chest, abdomen, buttocks, or head. Some of them may share internal organs such as a heart,
brain, or liver. Siamese twins occur about once in 50,000 pregnancies, and only 40% of them live. In
the United States, 40 Siamese twins are born each year. Every conjoined twin is called a Siamese twins
because the most famous conjoined twins were born in Siam (Thailand today). People called Siamese
twins after Siam.
The most famous conjoined twins, Eng and Chang, were born to a Chinese father and half Chinese half
Malaysian mother at Mae-Klong, about 60 miles west of Bangkok, Siam, in May 11, 1811. Eng-in and
Changchun were their real names. Eng was on the right and Chang was on the left. They were joined by
a ligament from breast to navel that became 4 inches long and 8 inches around. Eng was 5 feet 2 inches
tall and Chang was an inch shorter when they became adult. They have dual life since they were born.
They learned to walk, run, and swim together with perfect coordination. After their father died, they
sold duck eggs to make a living. The twins were found by Robert Hunter, a British merchant. Hunter
promised to pay $3,000 to Eng and Chang's mother, but she received only $500. In 1829, Eng and
Chang left Siam and never went back again. Hunter and his American partner, Captain Able Coffin,
managed the twins showing their in theaters and concert halls in Europe and America for a few years
before they declared their independence when they became 21 year old. During the first show in
Boston, Eng and Chang simply stood on stage and showed how they walked and ran. Soon, they
showed somersaults, backslaps and demonstration of strength, they lifted the biggest audience, weight
about 280 pounds. Eng and Chang had good health because they were inspected by local doctor in
every new city they visited. After declaring their independence in 1832, they continued presenting shows
for about 7 years. During the time, they met Dr. James Callway at Wilkesboro, North Carolina. He
suggested they needed to rest. Eng and Chang also liked the people and the area in Wilkesboro. They
decided to retired from their show life of 10 years and settled in North Carolina in 1839. There was
shortage of school and hospital, and the major economy was agriculture such as cotton, tobacco, and
moonshine. Eng and Chang became agriculturist and had a 1,000 acre farm. They applied for United
States citizenship and received it. They also got the Bunker surname. Eng and Chang were interested in
two sisters of Wilkesboro, Adelaide (Addie) and Sarah (Sally) Yates. Chang was the first who felt in
love with Addie, who was younger. Eng also felt in love with Sally. The wedding was objected to by the
town people and the girls' parents. Finally, they married at the Yates home in 1843. Chang and Eng built
a new house at Trap Hill, 12 miles northeast of Wilkesboro. Not quite a year after they married, Sally
gave birth a baby girl, six days later Addie also born a baby girl. A year later, 2 babies were born, this
time 8 days apart. A new house at Mt. Airy was bought for the children in 1852. In 1860, Addie had 7
children and Sally had 9 children. The financial pressures forced Eng and Chang back to the show again
in 1849, 1853, and 1860. In 1868, the twins left North Carolina for a tour of Europe. A second reason
for the tour was surgical separation, but the war between France and Prussia in 1870 forced them to
turn back to North Carolina. On winter night of January 16, 1874 at Mt. Airy house, Chang died
because he had been drinking heavily and his health became frail. The doctor found blood cot in his
brain. Eng also died 3 hours later because he was shocked by the death of his brother. They were born
together and they also died together at age 63 year old. They had the total of 21 children. Eng had 11
children, and chang had 10 children. None of them were twins.
-------------------------------------------
Chang and Eng, born in 1811 in Melange, Siam, gave a new phase to the English
language. They were the first, the original Siamese Twins, a term used to describe
any two human beings joined at birth by living tissue. When news of the strange and
unusual birth reached the king of Siam, he decided the babies should be put to death.
King Rama II, thought such a birth was an evil sign an omen that something bad was
going to happen. As time passed and no disaster occurred, King Rama II withdrew
his decree of death for the two boys. As young boys, Chang and Eng loved to fish
with their fisherman father. They learned to use the oars and row with great ease.
Their arms and legs grew stronger each year. At the age of 16, Eng and Chang were
presented to King Rama III of Siam. Shortly thereafter their newly acquired
managers, Captain Coffin and Robert Hunter made plans to exhibit them throughout
the world. For the next several years they were exhibited before hundreds of
thousands of people. In England they bowed before kings and queens, princes and
princesses, but by the end of the evening, the royalty was bowing to them. Chang
and Eng entertained their customers. Battledore and shuttlecock was a popular
British game at that time. The twins had played it in Siam. The object was to hit a
shuttlecock-a small cork ball with feathers on one side-back and forth. The audiences oohed and aahed as they
watched the twins play. Chang and Eng moved across the floor with the ease and grace of a couple skillfully
waltzing. They answered questions from their audiences with clear and grammatically correct English. In 1929 they
left their country for America, and traveled over the whole of this continent, England, Frances, and other countries,
exciting the admiration of the crowds and others, who had reported upon this singular phenomenon in the natural
world. Tired from being exhibited for ten years, the young men decided to settle in a small town in North Carolina.
Wilkesboro was one of hundreds of small towns the men had been exhibited in less than two years. Here they found
a peacefulness and a new home. Chang and Eng loved this new countryside, where the mountains reached to the
sky and the streams flowed across fertile soil. The people were friendly and sincere. When they talked they spoke
of their families and their crops. Coming with $10,000, Chang and Eng purchased a retail store and sold everything
from linens to "chawing" tobacco. Unfortunately times were hard for area residents and the twins gave up their
store and decided to take up farming and built a house in Traphill, a community in northern Wilkes County. In 1939
Chang and Eng became American citizens and acquired their new name of Bunker. This was about the same time
they became interested in the Yates sisters, Sallie and Adelaide. After courting for several years the foursome
were married at the Yates house. Shortly they were off to their Traphill home and to share a large bed built for the
foursome. The people of the county though surely no children would come from this union, however, nine months
after the wedding Eng and Sallie welcomed their first born daughter. Six days later Chang and Adelaide welcome
their first daughter also. This continued until Eng and Sallie had produced 11 children. Chang and Adelaide were
almost as productive producing 10 children. As times grew harder and children increased, problems became
numerous. The two sisters fought, and put Eng and Chang into the middle of their battles. Soon the brothers turned
against each other and bitter fights erupted. Chang drowning his troubles in whiskey and Eng playing poker.
Therefore two house were needed. These houses were built in Surry County, White Plains community and were
less than a mile separated them. The wives lived apart, only Eng and Chang shared three days with Sallie and her
children and then three days with Adelaide and her children. This arrangement continued for the rest of their lives.
To support their families, Chang and Eng would go on exhibit for up to a year. Each taking a child who also
performed in their show. They joined the Barnum American Museum on Broadway in New York City. After many
childhood and adult illness, including a stroke suffered by Chang, the twins shared their lives until the end when on
a cold January 17, 1874, Eng woke to find his brother cold. When he realized Chang was dead, Eng began to sweat
and feel faint. He died a short time later. They are buried in the White Plains Church Cemetery in Surry County,
NC. The church they helped to establish and build.
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