Mills Darden

Mills Darden (October 7, 1799 – January 23, 1857[1]) was an American who became famous as one of the largest men ever in human history. He was capable of tossing 500-pound (230 kg) piles of hay with ease and single-handedly carried 12 feed sacks (1200 pounds) over 1.2 miles. His enormous size both in terms of his body weight and height made him one of the biggest humans to have ever lived. He was officially confirmed to have stood at a height of 7 ft 6 in (229 cm) tall[2] and weighed around 860 to 1,020 lb (390 to 460 kg), and possibly even more.[3] His recorded approximate weight of 1,020 lb (460 kg)[3] would have given him a body mass index of 88.2. If the reported figures are correct, Darden was 30 percent taller than and about six times as heavy as the average American male of the 21st century.

Mills (or Miles) Darden was born on October 7, 1798, near Rich Square, North Carolina, United States, to John and Mary Darden. He was married at least once and had several children. His wife Mary, who died in 1837 aged about 40,[1] was 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) tall and weighed 98 lb (44 kg). The tallest of their sons reached 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), tall for an era when the average adult American male stood only about 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m).

He died on January 23, 1857. He was buried in Lexington, Tennessee.[1] His grave, and his wife's, have been restored by the local Development Authority.[4]