John Rogan

For other people named John Rogan, see John Rogan (disambiguation).

John W. Rogan
Born	(1868-02-16)February 16, 1868 Hendersonville, Tennessee
Died	September 12, 1905(1905-09-12) (aged 37) Gallatin, Tennessee
Cause of death	Ankylosis
Known for	Second tallest person in history
Height	8 ft 9 in (2.67m)

John William Rogan (February 16, 1868 – September 12, 1905) was the tallest person ever until passed by Robert Wadlow.

Biography

Rogan, the son of William Rogan, a former slave, was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on February 16, 1868. He was the fourth of twelve children. He began to grow very rapidly at the age of 13, leading to ankylosis. By 1882, he could not stand or walk at all. By 1899, he had grown to a height of 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) and often appeared in newspapers, referred to as the "negro giant". He got around on a cart he had made for himself that was pulled by goats, and he was always the center of attention, often noted for his deep voice and playful attitude. Although he was unable to perform physical labor, he made a living by selling portraits and postcards and, as noted in an 1897 article in the Kansas City Journal, had a number of his drawings published. Despite his success in this regard, he declined all offers to join the carnival and side shows. Rogan's hands measured 11.5 inches (29 cm) in length and his feet measured 13.7 inches (34 cm) in length. He grew to 8 ft 9 in (2.67m) tall but weighed only 205 pounds. He is the tallest person of African descent. Rogan remains the second-tallest person on record.

Rogan died on September 12, 1905, from complications of ankylosis.

See also

• List of tallest people
• Robert Wadlow