Calvin Edson

Edson was born in 1788 in Stafford, Connecticut to Eliab and Prudence Edson and the family moved to Randolph, Vermont shortly after he was born.{{cite news |title=Anatomie Vivant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/middlebury-free-press-1831-1837-calvin-e/169131518/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Middlebury Free Press |date=June 24, 1830 |page=3}} He was one of eleven children.{{cite news |title=Another Living Skeleton |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-star-family-of-calvin-edson/169134437/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=North Star |date=May 11, 1846 |location=Danville Vermont |page=2}} He had one brother, Alexander, who was also emaciated in appearance.

Edson fought in the Battle of Plattsburgh as a member of the 11th Regiment.{{cite web|last=Herwig|first=Miriam|title=Edson Was Randolph's 'Living Skeleton'|website=The White River Valley Herald|date=2014-09-11|url=https://www.ourherald.com/articles/edson-was-randolphs-living-skeleton/|access-date=2025-03-29}} After a period of living outdoors with his regiment in 1814 he began to lose weight rapidly. He was 5 feet 3 or 4 inches tall and eventually reported to weigh only 45 pounds. Other than his emaciated appearance, he was in decent physical health.

Edson performed as the Living Skeleton in circus shows, wearing a tight-fitting black suit, the first popular "skeleton" performer.{{cite news |title=A Skeleton's Story |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fargo-daily-argus-calvin-edson-original/169147680/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Fargo Daily Argus |date=May 21, 1882 |location=Fargo, North Dakota |page=10}} In 1831 he traveled to Europe where his promotional materials said that he had been "introduced to the College of Physicians and Surgeons" in Paris where he was claimed to have been called "the greatest phenomena of nature the world has ever beheld."{{cite news |title=Calvin Edson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-repertory-edson-came-from-europe/169126965/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=The Repertory |date=April 14, 1831 |location=St Albans, VT |page=3}}{{cite news |title="calvin edson"|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/middlebury-free-press-1831-1837-edson-qu/169127361/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Middlebury Free Press |date=January 11, 1832 |page=1}} Edson traveled around the US with broadsheets announcing his performances where he put himself on display and also danced.{{cite news |title=[Edson] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-patriot-edson-is-spooky/169133972/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=That Patriot |date=August 19, 1831 |location=Harrisburg, PA |page=1}} These broadsheets had illustrations of Edson on them and were later reproduced in newspapers. He was said to have earned $15 a week for his work.{{cite news |title=Living Curiosities. The salaries paid to fat ladies, bearded ladies, skeletons and albinos |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/parsons-weekly-sun-calvin-edson-made-15/169147866/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Parsons Weekly Sun |date=December 27, 1879 |location=Parsons, Kansas |page=3}} He performed in a theater production as a character called Jeremiah Thin.{{cite book |last1=Phelps |first1=Henry Pitt |title=The Albany hand-book |date=1884 |publisher=Brandow & Barton |page=24 |url=https://archive.org/details/albanyhandbook00phel/page/24/mode/2up |access-date=29 March 2025}}

Edson's death was reported in newspapers nationwide in 1832 attributed to oculist John Scudder Jr. of Scudder's American Museum.{{cite news |title=Calvin Edson [false obit] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/vermont-patriot-calvin-edson-obit/169126453/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Vermont Patriot |date=October 8, 1832 |location=Montpelier VT |page=2}}{{cite news |title=Calvin Edson: The Living Skeleton |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-messenger-and-connecticut-and/169132419/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=The Weekly Messenger and Connecticut and Passumpsic River Valley Advertiser |date=October 9, 1832 |page=3}} It was claimed that his body was stolen from its tomb and inspected, and he was said "to have had a tapeworm twelve to fourteen feet in length."{{cite news |title=Obituary |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/vermont-gazette-edson-false-obit/169126739/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Vermont Gazette |date=October 9, 1832 |location=Bennington, Vermont |page=3}}{{cite news |title=Death of Calvin Edson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/niles-national-register-calvin-edson-gra/169133481/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Niles National Register |date=October 19, 1833 |location=St. Louis Missouri |page=4}} He was, in fact, alive and had just been on a short trip. Edson toured several museums in New York through the 1830s.

Edson was married to Rachael Cutler Edson in 1822 and had four children; two of his daughters were deaf and mute.{{cite news |title="died"|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/vermont-patriot-calvin-edsons-kids-and/169134791/ |access-date=29 March 2025 |work=Vermont Patriot |date=April 8, 1847 |location=Montpelier Vermont |page=3}}{{cite web |title=New Hampshire, Marriage Records, 1637-1947 |url=https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/sources/KHNP-915 |website=FamilySearch |publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |access-date=1 April 2025}}

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Category:1788 births

Category:Sideshow performers

Category:Year of death missing