 Édouard
Beaupré was the eldest of 20 children born to Gaspard and Florestine
Beaupre in the newly-founded parish of Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Beaupre did not appear abnormally large at birth, and for the first
three years of his life, his growth was relatively normal. His father
measured 5' 8" and his mother 5' 4".
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However, Édouard's
growth rate then increased dramatically, so much so that by age nine
he was six feet tall, and by the age of 17 his height was recorded at
7 feet 1 inch. In 1901, when he measured 7' 9", he apparently lifted
a 900 pound weight and fractured a leg. After that he very prudently
never lifted more than 900 pounds. In 1902, Édouard's height
was measured at 8 feet 2.5 inches and he weighed over 400 pounds. His
death certificate described him as being 8 feet 3 inches tall and still
growing. |
He lived in
Willow Bunch and attended school very irregularly. He had difficulty
speaking English and trouble writing French.
Édouard had a dream of becoming a cowboy when he was growing
up. When Beaupre was 15, he quit school to pursue his dreams of riding
the open range. Unfortunately for him, this life, which he enjoyed while
working with horses on a ranch in Montana, didn't last very long. His
height and his weight would lead him away from the trade of his dream.
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At the urging
of others and to help support his family, he went on to tour the North
American freak show circuit. Over the years he would be stared at by
onlookers, wrestle strongmen, and perform feats of strength. His signature
stunt was crouching underneath a horse and lifting it up to his shoulders.
He would then go on to star in Barnum and Bailey Circus, even though
life on the road was not easy for Beaupre. (To accommodate his size,
hotel staff would line up trunks to support a second mattress to lengthen
his bed.) He would spend the latter part of his short life performing
in freak shows and circuses.
Many tried every second or third month to marry Édouard to
the tallest woman in the world, Miss Ella Ewing, a giantess. She measured
around 7' 6", but he was not at all interested.
In 1902 Beaupre was diagnosed with tuberculosis. By the time he reached
the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, his rapid growth and the disease
had taken a heavy toll on him. He became ill and died at a local St.
Louis hospital on July 3, 1904. Even at the time of his death at age
23, doctors determined that Beaupre was still growing.
Gaspard Beaupre made a trip to St. Louis to retrieve his son's body.
When he reached his destination, however, Gaspard turned back when he
realized that he did not have enough money to pay double fare to return
home with the body.
The elder Beaupre believed his son's body was going to be buried in
St. Louis or used for medical experiments, but that was not the case.
When the circus refused to pay for the transportation costs back to
Willow Bunch, Édouard Beaupre's body was embalmed and put on
display. Around 1905, his body made its way to a museum in Montreal
and then a circus. When the circus went bankrupt, the body was claimed
by the University de Montreal, whose scientists then discovered the
cause of Beaupre's giant status. His pituitary gland had secreted an
abnormal amount of growth hormone throughout his body. In 1975, Beaupre's
nephew, discovered the whereabouts of his uncle's body. His efforts
to return Beaupre's body back to Willow Bunch were unsuccessful, as
the university claimed it was still needed for research and refused
to assist with the efforts to give Beaupre a proper burial. An agreement
was finally reached in 1989. To ensure that Beaupre would not be publicly
displayed or used for personal gain, his family insisted that his body
be cremated. They kept his ashes in Montreal until July 1, 1990. On
July 7, 1990, Édouard Beaupre received the memorial service and
burial his family had dreamed of since the start of this century, in
Willow Bunch. His ashes were buried in front of a life-sized
statue dedicated to him at the Willow Bunch Museum. (see
photos below)
After 85 years of being on public display, naked, and mummified, he
is finally at peace.
It marks the end of a tragic story of exploitation that left us all
feeling relieved that he is finally laid to rest.
above quotes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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Below: The two RV Gypsies
each put one foot beside the footprint of the giant |
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The sidewalk at the Willow
Bunch Museum with the giant's footprints and a life-sized
statue dedicated to him at the Willow Bunch Museum, where his ashes
are buried. |
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The Willow Bunch Museum -
and Lee Duquette on the stairs looking at the garden and sidewalk with
the giant's footprints. |
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A black pansy |
A mural on a building in Willow Bunch |
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