One of the remnants of the slavery era in history is John Rogan. He had a condition that caused him to grow to the size of a giant, and he still does when tales of the time are told. Due to his uniqueness among people of his time, the former slave is still well-liked today.
John Rogan is regarded as the tallest man of African descent despite setting the record for being one of the tallest people to have ever lived.
Many people continue to wonder about what happened to him before, during, and after he passed away. What was he like, where does he rest in peace, and what other fascinating details should we be aware of? Keep your device steady because this article will reveal all of his untold details.
Who Is John Rogan?
Between 1867 and 1871, John Rogan was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee. His father, William Rogan, was a slave owner, and he was their son. He endured the difficult life of being a slave as the fourth child among twelve siblings. John was sometimes called Bud Rogan.
Hugh Rogan, one of the first white settlers in Sumner County and the creator of the Rogana farms, owned his family.
Some sources from old newspapers claim he may have inherited his height from his maternal grandfather, who was also a giant. He is known as the tallest man of African descent.
Ayuba Suleiman Diallo: 12 Facts About the Kidnapped Fulani Prince Who Became A Slave
10 Interesting John Rogan Facts
1. Giantism Caused John Rogan’s Height
Depending on how you look at it, it’s possible that other members of his family weren’t as fortunate or unfortunate to have such a rare and enormous body.
When he was 13 years old, John Rogan began to develop into a giant. The term “gigantism” refers to this unusual condition. If he survived into his middle age, he would have been among the tallest people to have ever lived.
2. He Was Diagnosed With Ankylosis
He developed a condition that made him a giant from an early age, but it also became his downfall. His excessive height made his posture difficult. He had gigantism, which led to ankylosis.
John Rogan was unable to stand or walk again, so he lost the use of his legs. Who among us still aspires to develop into a great man? You might want to rethink the following section.
3. John Rogan declined to participate in The Sideshow
When he was alive, he was a unique sight that could draw a crowd just to marvel at him. He had the opportunity to become well-known at the time by participating in the sideshow craze, but he opted to avoid the attention of onlookers.
He objected to participating in sideshows like the exhibition of human oddities. He never actually participated in the sideshow circus.
4. John Rogan Worked as a Painter And Trader
John engaged in trading because his ankylosis prevented him from doing any physical labor.
At the train station, he offered postcards and portrait sales. According to the Kansas City Journal, his drawings were published.
5. Body Structure Of John Rogan
Males generally stand between 5 feet 7.5 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall around the world. Males who are over 6 feet tall are regarded as tall. Even the giant Vikings were only 5 feet 1 inch tall on average, while the Dutch, who are currently the tallest people in the world, are 5 feet 7.9 inches tall on average.
In 1899, John Rogan was a man-mountain with a height of 8 feet, 6 inches. At 8 feet 6 inches, he shares the same height as Franz Winkelmeier, who was once thought to be the tallest man in the world.
Due to his height and 175 pounds, he moved using a cart drawn by goats. His feet were 13 inches long, and his hands were 11 inches wide.
6. Robert Wadlow Set a New World Record for Height
For many years, John was the tallest man in the world, but Robert Wadlow eventually surpassed him in height.
Robert surpassed John Rogan in height when he was 21 years old, taking the title of tallest man.
7. Once, His Master believed That His Wife Had Remarried
Hugh Rogan, the proprietor of John Rogan, left his wife and son Bernard behind in Ireland to come to America and seek fortune.
His wife may have remarried under the mistaken belief that he had passed away, as he learned while he was in America. When he got back to Ireland, he discovered her still alive.
When he brought his family back to the United States, he had Frank, his second son, born. Frank was born 20 years after his older brother.
8. The Rogans Participated in the Civil War
Without mentioning his family’s involvement in the civil war, John’s background information is lacking. Just seven Rogans went to battle, but only one came back.
9. The Death Of John Rogan
He had lost the majority of his weight because, at the time of his death, he only weighed 105 pounds. Towards the end of his life, he was referred to as the living skeleton.
He passed away on September 12, 1905.
10. In what location will he be laid to rest?
The location of John Rogers’ final resting place is up for discussion. Some sources mention his owners’ farmland, the Rogana lands, while others assert that his family interred him in an unmarked grave.
According to the second opinion, his body was buried in a vault made of cement. John’s family was probably attempting to prevent the town doctors he was associated with from digging up his remains. Ernest Hickman, a dentist, and William Lackey, who first began writing about him, were those people.
Whatever it is, John is still regarded as a legend because of the gifts that nature gave him despite the slavery in which he was raised.