DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, most folks who pass through Titus County don't know they're traveling through the old stomping grounds — and I mean that word carefully — of a man named Henry Clay Thruston. And when I say Henry Clay Thruston, I want you to picture a man the marker estimates stood somewhere between seven feet one inch and eight feet tall.
Not a rounding error. Not a tall tale. A man who made tall tales look modest.
Thruston came into this world in Greenville County, South Carolina. In 1833, he wed Mary B. Thruston — a cousin — and together they had two children.
So far, an ordinary life by the measure of most things. Except for the measure of the man himself. Then 1861 arrived, and with it, the Civil War.
Henry Clay Thruston joined the Confederate effort. Now, you have to pause here and consider the tactical puzzle that presented. The marker notes — with what I can only read as a touch of understatement — that despite his conspicuous height, he was wounded only twice.
Only twice. I'll let that sit with you. By 1874, the Thrustons had made their way to Titus County, purchasing land near the Daphne Community.
A quieter chapter, maybe. But the world wasn't quite done with Henry Clay Thruston. Because somewhere along the way, P.T.
Barnum came calling. Thruston toured with P.T. Barnum's Circus as The Tallest Man in the World, seen by large crowds throughout America and in Europe, becoming a genuine piece of late nineteenth century popular culture.
A man born in South Carolina, who survived a war, settled near Daphne, and ended up known nationally and internationally — standing, by all accounts, somewhere between seven one and eight feet tall. The land near Daphne remembers him. The marker makes sure of that.
What the marker says
Estimated to be between seven feet one inch and eight feet tall, Henry Clay Thruston became known nationally and internationally for his height. Born in South Carolina (Greenville Co.), Thruston wed Mary B. Thruston, a cousin, in 1833; they had two children. In 1861, Thruston joined the Confederate effort for the Civil War, and despite his conspicious height, was only wounded twice. By 1874, the Thrustons had moved to Titus County, purchasing land near the Daphne Community. Thruston also toured with P.T. Barnum's Circus as "The Tallest Man in the World." Seen by large crowds throughout America and in Europe, Thruston became a part of late 19th century popular culture. (2009)