JOHN WILSON WEBB was born at the ‘Miller’s place’ up behind Mapleton Depot in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. He was born a healthy little boy but—all too soon he would begin to grow into the ‘Champion Fat Baby of the World.’ At the age of 5 months he weighed twenty-five pounds, at seven months sixty-eight pounds and his growth was so rapid that at the age of fourteen months his weight was ninety-seven pounds. No records could be found of any 14-month old baby of this phenomenal weight. The doctor said he was a healthy baby—he could find nothing wrong and Johnny would continue to grow.
Because of Johnny’s phenomenal size and adorable appearance he became a curiosity and people would call at the farm, where the Webb family lived. William and Rachel Webb decided that if people were going to stare—they might as well pay Johnny for the pleasure. Since—the Webb’s were going through hard times—placing Johnny into show business was the best thing to do.
JOHNNY WEBB is first exhibited in baby contests at the age of three years old. He does his first magazine photo shoot with Van Norden: The World Mirror, appears in the Baby Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and goes to Ottawa, Canada—where he becomes an instant star on the Midway. This same year—Rachel contracts the “JOHNNY WEB SHOW” with “K. G. BARKOOT” and tours the carnival season as one of the Midway tent side show attraction. In years to come the show would carry other famous ‘freaks’ and grow into the “WEBB’S CIRCUS SIDE SHOW”.
From the moment Jolly Johnny Webb was born he astonished and amazed everyone. Johnny Webb never attended school. His mother [manager] travelled with him wherever he went. A special automobile was constructed for his use. On the railroads he rode in the baggage cars.
In 1938—a reporter from the Evening Star interviewed Johnny in his tent while engaged for a 10-day carnival for the benefit of Fort Stevens Post, No. 32, American Legion in Washington D. C. Johnny Webb is 32 years old and weighs 747 pounds. He wears a size 24 shirt and measures 105 inches around the waist. The tape measures 41 inches around his thigh. On top of all this he is still gaining weight every year. A normal breakfast is 18 fried eggs, a loaf of bread, and a half-pound of butter and two quarts of milk. After the interview he stops eating and would not take any food. Three days later, Johnny Webb died in his tent. Physicians said Johnny’s death was from disorders arising from his excessive weight.
His last request was that he be buried close to a highway or railroad trace, where the public passes. Johnny Webb’s ashes were distributed among his family and when they traveled they were deposited in his favorite places across America. It is claimed his ashes are buried in the Harvey plot with his father and grandfather in the Mountain View Cemetery [IOOF] in Mapleton, Pennsylvania. When Rachel died—Johnny’s ashes were placed into her grave in Graceland Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.
‘Many cities and towns throughout the United States lay claim to Johnny Webb as their native son. Los Angeles, CA; Morristown, TN; Norton, VA and also, Pittsburgh, Altoona and Derry Township, PA, have claimed him as their native son. But, Johnny while exhibiting at a carnival in the Lewistown fair in Mifflin Co. Pennsylvania he told the Daily News editor “any place a carnival man pitches his tent is home, but Miller place back of Mapleton (so my mother tells me) is my native home.”
Johnny Wilson Webb [1906-1938] a fat man who lived life like a virtual king.
Because of Johnny’s phenomenal size and adorable appearance he became a curiosity and people would call at the farm, where the Webb family lived. William and Rachel Webb decided that if people were going to stare—they might as well pay Johnny for the pleasure. Since—the Webb’s were going through hard times—placing Johnny into show business was the best thing to do.
JOHNNY WEBB is first exhibited in baby contests at the age of three years old. He does his first magazine photo shoot with Van Norden: The World Mirror, appears in the Baby Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and goes to Ottawa, Canada—where he becomes an instant star on the Midway. This same year—Rachel contracts the “JOHNNY WEB SHOW” with “K. G. BARKOOT” and tours the carnival season as one of the Midway tent side show attraction. In years to come the show would carry other famous ‘freaks’ and grow into the “WEBB’S CIRCUS SIDE SHOW”.
From the moment Jolly Johnny Webb was born he astonished and amazed everyone. Johnny Webb never attended school. His mother [manager] travelled with him wherever he went. A special automobile was constructed for his use. On the railroads he rode in the baggage cars.
In 1938—a reporter from the Evening Star interviewed Johnny in his tent while engaged for a 10-day carnival for the benefit of Fort Stevens Post, No. 32, American Legion in Washington D. C. Johnny Webb is 32 years old and weighs 747 pounds. He wears a size 24 shirt and measures 105 inches around the waist. The tape measures 41 inches around his thigh. On top of all this he is still gaining weight every year. A normal breakfast is 18 fried eggs, a loaf of bread, and a half-pound of butter and two quarts of milk. After the interview he stops eating and would not take any food. Three days later, Johnny Webb died in his tent. Physicians said Johnny’s death was from disorders arising from his excessive weight.
His last request was that he be buried close to a highway or railroad trace, where the public passes. Johnny Webb’s ashes were distributed among his family and when they traveled they were deposited in his favorite places across America. It is claimed his ashes are buried in the Harvey plot with his father and grandfather in the Mountain View Cemetery [IOOF] in Mapleton, Pennsylvania. When Rachel died—Johnny’s ashes were placed into her grave in Graceland Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.
‘Many cities and towns throughout the United States lay claim to Johnny Webb as their native son. Los Angeles, CA; Morristown, TN; Norton, VA and also, Pittsburgh, Altoona and Derry Township, PA, have claimed him as their native son. But, Johnny while exhibiting at a carnival in the Lewistown fair in Mifflin Co. Pennsylvania he told the Daily News editor “any place a carnival man pitches his tent is home, but Miller place back of Mapleton (so my mother tells me) is my native home.”
Johnny Wilson Webb [1906-1938] a fat man who lived life like a virtual king.
JOHN WILSON WEBB was born at the ‘Miller’s place’ up behind Mapleton Depot in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. He was born a healthy little boy but—all too soon he would begin to grow into the ‘Champion Fat Baby of the World.’ At the age of 5 months he weighed twenty-five pounds, at seven months sixty-eight pounds and his growth was so rapid that at the age of fourteen months his weight was ninety-seven pounds. No records could be found of any 14-month old baby of this phenomenal weight. The doctor said he was a healthy baby—he could find nothing wrong and Johnny would continue to grow.
Because of Johnny’s phenomenal size and adorable appearance he became a curiosity and people would call at the farm, where the Webb family lived. William and Rachel Webb decided that if people were going to stare—they might as well pay Johnny for the pleasure. Since—the Webb’s were going through hard times—placing Johnny into show business was the best thing to do.
JOHNNY WEBB is first exhibited in baby contests at the age of three years old. He does his first magazine photo shoot with Van Norden: The World Mirror, appears in the Baby Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and goes to Ottawa, Canada—where he becomes an instant star on the Midway. This same year—Rachel contracts the “JOHNNY WEB SHOW” with “K. G. BARKOOT” and tours the carnival season as one of the Midway tent side show attraction. In years to come the show would carry other famous ‘freaks’ and grow into the “WEBB’S CIRCUS SIDE SHOW”.
From the moment Jolly Johnny Webb was born he astonished and amazed everyone. Johnny Webb never attended school. His mother [manager] travelled with him wherever he went. A special automobile was constructed for his use. On the railroads he rode in the baggage cars.
In 1938—a reporter from the Evening Star interviewed Johnny in his tent while engaged for a 10-day carnival for the benefit of Fort Stevens Post, No. 32, American Legion in Washington D. C. Johnny Webb is 32 years old and weighs 747 pounds. He wears a size 24 shirt and measures 105 inches around the waist. The tape measures 41 inches around his thigh. On top of all this he is still gaining weight every year. A normal breakfast is 18 fried eggs, a loaf of bread, and a half-pound of butter and two quarts of milk. After the interview he stops eating and would not take any food. Three days later, Johnny Webb died in his tent. Physicians said Johnny’s death was from disorders arising from his excessive weight.
His last request was that he be buried close to a highway or railroad trace, where the public passes. Johnny Webb’s ashes were distributed among his family and when they traveled they were deposited in his favorite places across America. It is claimed his ashes are buried in the Harvey plot with his father and grandfather in the Mountain View Cemetery [IOOF] in Mapleton, Pennsylvania. When Rachel died—Johnny’s ashes were placed into her grave in Graceland Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.
‘Many cities and towns throughout the United States lay claim to Johnny Webb as their native son. Los Angeles, CA; Morristown, TN; Norton, VA and also, Pittsburgh, Altoona and Derry Township, PA, have claimed him as their native son. But, Johnny while exhibiting at a carnival in the Lewistown fair in Mifflin Co. Pennsylvania he told the Daily News editor “any place a carnival man pitches his tent is home, but Miller place back of Mapleton (so my mother tells me) is my native home.”
Johnny Wilson Webb [1906-1938] a fat man who lived life like a virtual king.
Because of Johnny’s phenomenal size and adorable appearance he became a curiosity and people would call at the farm, where the Webb family lived. William and Rachel Webb decided that if people were going to stare—they might as well pay Johnny for the pleasure. Since—the Webb’s were going through hard times—placing Johnny into show business was the best thing to do.
JOHNNY WEBB is first exhibited in baby contests at the age of three years old. He does his first magazine photo shoot with Van Norden: The World Mirror, appears in the Baby Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and goes to Ottawa, Canada—where he becomes an instant star on the Midway. This same year—Rachel contracts the “JOHNNY WEB SHOW” with “K. G. BARKOOT” and tours the carnival season as one of the Midway tent side show attraction. In years to come the show would carry other famous ‘freaks’ and grow into the “WEBB’S CIRCUS SIDE SHOW”.
From the moment Jolly Johnny Webb was born he astonished and amazed everyone. Johnny Webb never attended school. His mother [manager] travelled with him wherever he went. A special automobile was constructed for his use. On the railroads he rode in the baggage cars.
In 1938—a reporter from the Evening Star interviewed Johnny in his tent while engaged for a 10-day carnival for the benefit of Fort Stevens Post, No. 32, American Legion in Washington D. C. Johnny Webb is 32 years old and weighs 747 pounds. He wears a size 24 shirt and measures 105 inches around the waist. The tape measures 41 inches around his thigh. On top of all this he is still gaining weight every year. A normal breakfast is 18 fried eggs, a loaf of bread, and a half-pound of butter and two quarts of milk. After the interview he stops eating and would not take any food. Three days later, Johnny Webb died in his tent. Physicians said Johnny’s death was from disorders arising from his excessive weight.
His last request was that he be buried close to a highway or railroad trace, where the public passes. Johnny Webb’s ashes were distributed among his family and when they traveled they were deposited in his favorite places across America. It is claimed his ashes are buried in the Harvey plot with his father and grandfather in the Mountain View Cemetery [IOOF] in Mapleton, Pennsylvania. When Rachel died—Johnny’s ashes were placed into her grave in Graceland Cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina.
‘Many cities and towns throughout the United States lay claim to Johnny Webb as their native son. Los Angeles, CA; Morristown, TN; Norton, VA and also, Pittsburgh, Altoona and Derry Township, PA, have claimed him as their native son. But, Johnny while exhibiting at a carnival in the Lewistown fair in Mifflin Co. Pennsylvania he told the Daily News editor “any place a carnival man pitches his tent is home, but Miller place back of Mapleton (so my mother tells me) is my native home.”
Johnny Wilson Webb [1906-1938] a fat man who lived life like a virtual king.
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