Woman born with four legs has seven children after degrading 'freak show' act

Myrtle Cobin lived a unique life filled with challenges, but still managed to forge her own path as a wealthy career woman and devoted mother.

Born May 12, 1868, to a struggling farming family, Myrtle's appearance astonished her parents anddoctors.From the belly button up, the little girl appeared to be just like any other child her age, but towards the base of her spine, her body doubled in curious ways.

Not only did the youngster have two pelvises, but she also had four legs, a curious physical attribute that later earned her the moniker 'Four-Legged Girl from Texas'.

Following what appeared to be a perfectly normal birth, doctors strived to figure out the reason behind this unusual limb difference. Meanwhile, Myrtle's story made a splash in the local papers, with readers enthralled by the tale of the strong and healthy infant who just happened to have four legs.

As the media storm continued to roar, Myrtle's father, William H. Corbin, a wounded former soldier in need of cash, quickly realised there was a goldmine to be unearthed in the nursery cradle.

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As previously detailed on the website Disability Throughout History, William, of Lincoln County, Tennessee, started off by exhibiting his daughter when she was only one month old, charging neighbours a dime per peek at baby Myrtle.

Although a decision that may well be frowned upon through modern eyes, both William and his wife, Nancy, claimed the cash would be used for Myrtle's education, and to give her a shot at a successful life. And what a life she would lead.

As time went on, Myrtle's story spread far beyond Lincoln County, with entrepreneurial William promoting his daughter's differences through newspaper ads.

While the family primarily made their home in Blount County, which served as their base, Myrtle was exhibited at side shows and fairs nationwide throughout her childhood, where enthralled onlookers would gasp with surprise as she lifted her skirts.

Myrtle's second pair of legs was not as developed as her main ones, and only had three toes on each small foot. She was however, still able to move them. For her performances, Myrtle dressed her secret limbs with the same stockings and shoes as the ones on her visible limbs, creating a more dramatic symmetry.

As she grew, Myrtle's differences became ever more apparent. It's understood that she menstruated from both her uteruses, and from an early age, it was theorised that she would be able to get pregnant "on both sides".

By the time she was 14, Myrtle was snapped up by showman P.T. Barnum for his now widely controversial museum of curiosities, following in the footsteps of the supposedly 161-year-old Joice Heth, and the famously fraudulent 'Fiji mermaid'.

As explained in the book Tales of Old Blount County by Robin Sterling, Myrtle proved to be a particularly popular act, commanding a wage of $250 per week.

As is completely understandable, however, the circus life took a toll, and having people gawping at her body must have felt intrusive, no matter how much she was earning. And like many a young woman before her, Myrtle's life changed forever when she fell in love with medical student, James C. Bicknell.

Although it was feared that some shady suitors would attempt to court Myrtle for her money, it was clear this was not James's intention. The pair tied the knot on June 12 1886, in Blount County, and Myrtle stepped back from the stage as she entered into married life.

The following year, it was discovered that Myrtle was pregnant on her left side, a factor that took her by surprise. She reportedly told the doctor that "she could have believed the diagnosis if he had said she was pregnant on her right side".

Myrtle's pregnancy was a complicated one, and, sadly, it was ultimately recommended that she undergo an abortion to save her life. Although no doubt a traumatic ordeal, Myrtle recovered quickly, and she and James went on to welcome seven more children, becoming pregnant on both sides, as was predicted. Tragically, just four of the siblings would survive beyond infancy.

For a time, Myrtle lived a quiet family life in Johnson County, Texas, but when her surviving children flew the nest, she reentered the world of showbiz, this time commanding a weekly wage of $450 for appearing with the Ringling Brothers and at Coney Island.

Myrtle eventually bowed out of the spotlight and into a no doubt comfortable second retirement. She died on May 6, 1928, at the age of 59, after developing a skin infection on one of her four legs.

According to writer Sterling: "A few days later, The Southern Democrat ran an obituary which reported she was raised in the Royal community. The paper said many of the older people in the county would remember her when she was a youngster.

"She was a polite girl from Blount County who just happened to have four legs. Josephine Myrtle Corbin Bicknell was proof that even in the 19th century, a woman with a severe handicap could have a successful career and be a wife and mother."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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