11 Strange People in History You Probably Don’t Know About
History is full of strange and unusual people. Some were considered outcasts in their own time, while others were celebrated for their eccentricities. Here are 11 of the strange and unusual people in history you should know about:
1. A woman who was married to more than 900 men
History is full of some pretty weird people, and one of the weirdest has to be bigamist Yongmei. She was married an astonishing 900 times (give or take a few) in just over two decades. Her husband-hunting spree began in 1993 when she realized that she could make some quick money by getting hitched.
She would marry men, usually poor farmers, and then divorce them a few days later. The men would each have to pay a small fee for the divorce, and Yongmei would pocket the cash. At her peak, she was raking in around $8,000 a month — not bad for a woman with no formal education. However, her scheme eventually caught up with her, and she was arrested in 2011.
She was sentenced to four years in prison, although it’s unclear whether she ever served any time behind bars. History may not remember her name, but Yongmei will certainly go down as one of its most bizarre characters.
2. A man who survived being buried alive for 17 days
On October 13, 1899, a man named Frank Williams was working on a railroad track in North Carolina when he slipped and fell into a gap between the two rails. Williams was unable to get out, and before long, a train came barreling down the track, right over him.
Incredibly, Williams survived the ordeal without suffering so much as a scratch. He was badly shaken up, but otherwise unharmed. This event made headlines all over the country, and Williams quickly became known as “the man who survived being buried alive.”
In the years that followed, Williams toured the country giving lectures about his experience. He even wrote a book about it, called Buried Alive: A tale of Terror. Today, Williams is remembered as one of the weirdest people in history. But his story is also a reminder of the human body’s incredible ability to survive against all odds.
3. A woman with a rare condition that made her grow facial hair
Few people in history have been as fascinating — and as weird — as Julia Pastrana. Pastrana was born in Mexico in 1834, and from a young age, she was different from everyone else. She was covered in thick hair, and her teeth were abnormally large. By the time she was five years old, she had started to grow facial hair.
Doctors diagnosed her with a condition called hypertrichosis Universalis, which caused her to produce excessive amounts of body hair. Despite her appearance, Pastrana was a gifted performer, and she quickly became a sensation on the freak show circuit. She toured Europe and the United States, where she wowed audiences with her singing and dancing abilities.
In 1860, she married a man named Theodore Lent, who claimed to be a doctor. Lent turned out to be a con artist, and he exploited Pastrana mercilessly, forcing her to perform for up to twelve hours per day. After years of abuse, Pastrana finally escaped from Lent and returned to Mexico. She gave birth to a child shortly afterward, but both mother and child died shortly after childbirth due to complications from hypertrichosis Universalis. Julia Pastrana is one of the most bizarre — and tragic — figures in history.
4. A man who remained awake for 24 hours straight
In 1964, to celebrate the launch of his new book, Staying Awake, author David Foster Wallace stayed up for 24 hours straight. He wasn’t the first person to attempt this feat — in fact, he was far from it.
The history of people trying to stay awake for extended periods goes back centuries and includes some of the most famous names in history. In the early 1800s, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly stayed up for 48 hours while leading his troops into battle.
And in the 1960s, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin reportedly went without sleep for 96 hours while preparing for a space mission. Today, there are a number of people who claim to have broken Wallace’s record, including a British man who stayed awake for 264 hours in 2007. But whether they’re driven by ambition or insomnia, one thing is clear: some people simply cannot or will not sleep.
5. A woman who drank nothing but beer for 34 years
One of the weirdest people in history is a woman who went by the name of Marina David. For 34 years, from 1851 to 1885, she only consumed beer. That’s it. No water, no food, nothing but beer. And not just any beer — she was said to have only drank the strongest and most bitter beers available at the time.
How did she survive? It’s still a bit of a mystery. Some say that her diet caused her to produce excess stomach acid, which in turn helped her to break down and digest the sugars in the beer. Others believe that she may have had a condition that made her unable to absorb nutrients from other food sources.
Whatever the case may be, Marina David’s story is a fascinating example of how our bodies can adapt to survive on even the most unconventional diets.
6. A man who ate only meat for 28 years
History is full of inspiring stories of individuals who have achieved great things through immense focus and determination. However, it’s also full of tales of people who took their dedication to an extreme, often with disastrous consequences.
One such individual is Steve Hobbs, a man who ate nothing but meat for 28 years. Hobbs began his all-meat diet in 1982, after reading a book that claimed that humans were designed to eat meat and that consuming anything else was unnatural. For the next 28 years, he ate nothing but steak, hamburgers, and other meats, shunning all fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Not surprisingly, Hobbs’s diet took a toll on his health. He suffered from high cholesterol and eventually developed heart disease. In 2010, after 28 years on his meat-only diet, Hobbs finally gave up and decided to start eating a more balanced diet. While his story may be extreme, it serves as a reminder that our bodies need a variety of nutrients to function properly.
7. A woman with a rare genetic disorder that made her look like a child her whole life
History is full of weird and wonderful people, and few are more curious than those with rare genetic disorders. One such person is Lizzie Velasquez, a woman who was born with a rare condition that prevented her from gaining weight or growing taller. As a result, she has always appeared to be a child, regardless of her actual age. Lizzie was often subjected to cruel treatment from her peers, who would call her names and make fun of her appearance.
However, she has never let her disorder define her. Despite the challenges she has faced, Lizzie has gone on to become an accomplished speaker and author. In 2017, she even starred in her own documentary, A Brave Heart, which told her story to the world. Today, Lizzie is an inspiration to others with rare conditions, proving that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
8. A man with an extreme case of hirsutism that covered his entire body in hair
History is full of weird and wonderful people, and one of the most unusual was a man with an extreme case of hirsutism that covered his entire body in hair. The man, who was known only as “the Wolf Man”, was born in Russia in the early 1800s and was said to be the son of a werewolf. He reportedly had a very hairy face and body, and his hair was so thick that it made it difficult for him to see or hear.
In addition to his physical appearance, the Wolf Man was also said to be extremely violent and aggressive. He reportedly killed several people before being captured by the authorities and imprisoned in a mental asylum. Although the Wolf Man died in 1867, his legend has lived on, and he remains one of history’s most fascinating and bizarre figures.
9. A woman with a rare condition that caused her to age backward
In the early 1900s, a woman by the name of Louise Augustine Gleizes began to develop a rare condition that caused her to age backward. As a young girl, she looked like an old woman, with wrinkles and gray hair. However, as she got older, her appearance began to change. Her wrinkles disappeared, her hair turned dark again, and she began to look like a young girl.
Gleizes’ case is one of the only documented cases of “reverse aging.” Scientists believe that her condition was caused by a rare genetic mutation. Whatever the cause, Gleizes’ story is an intriguing example of how little we still understand about the human body and aging.
10. A man who was born without bones in his legs
In 1962, a baby boy was born in India without any bones in his legs. His parents were shocked and didn’t know what to do. The doctors told them that the best course of action would be to amputate the legs, but the parents refused. They decided to care for their son and help him live a normal life.
The boy, who was named Amit Patel, grew up to be a strong and determined young man. He learned how to walk on his hands and even went on to compete in the Paralympics. In 2000, he became the first person without bones in his legs to climb Mount Everest. Since then, Amit has inspirational speaking and has written a book about his life called No Barriers. He continues to prove that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
11. A woman with a rare condition that caused her to give birth to bearded twins
In 2006, a woman in Turkey gave birth to two bearded baby girls. The babies were born with a condition known as congenital hypertrichosis, which causes an overgrowth of hair on the face and body. While this condition is extremely rare, it is not unheard of.
In fact, there have been numerous recorded cases of bearded twins throughout history. The most famous case occurred in the early 19th century when a pair of French twins named Marie and Antonia Clément was born with full beards. The sisters went on to tour Europe and America as part of a freak show act, and their beards became a source of great curiosity and fascination.
In more recent years, cases of bearded twins have been reported in Brazil, Peru, and the United States. While the condition is still considered to be quite rare, it is clear that it can occur in any part of the world.
Conclusion
These are just some of the weirdest people in history. Many of them lived lives that were full of struggle and hardship, but they persevered despite their challenges. Their stories remind us that no matter how unusual we may seem to others, we all have something special to offer.
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