John W. "Major Johnny" McKibban (1880)

MCKIBBAN

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 8/29/2006 at 22:28:07

Winterset Madisonian, Thursday, September 16, 1880

Death of Johnny McKibban

This community was greatly surprised last Thursday morning by the sad intelligence of the death of John McKibban, known all over the State as the smallest man in Iowa. He was sick only a few hours and died with inflammation of the stomach.

John was born in Pike county, Ohio in the year of 1849 and at birth weighed nine pounds and eleven ounces, which is larger than the average child at birth. He grew as any other children until at the age of five when his growth ceased suddenly and apparently without cause. When it was fully determined he grew no more he was examined by eminent physicians who failed to find any cause for it. Since then he has grown none and at his death was forty two inches high and weighed about 36 pounds.

He has always been very healthy, never sick a day or never unable to be out, and John’s face was familiar on the street and will be missed as much as would any one in Winterset.

His father and mother moved to Winterset in 1867, where they and he have lived ever since. John has had many lucrative propositions made him to travel on account of his diminutive stature, but not fancying that kind of life and being more of a retiring nature, refused all of them and never engaged in any kind of business except serving as train boy on our railroad, which he followed for some time.

He was a great favorite with all who knew him and attracted much notice wherever he went, but he took no delight in making a show of himself and consequently always avoided anything like an inquisitive crowd.

We shall sadly miss John’s face and child-like voice as it was his want to hail the people whom he knew on the street, and his joyous laugh was familiar to all. The family have the sympathy of the entire community doubly so as this is the second son they have lost in the past four months. The other, David McKibban, it will be remembered was killed by the cars in Des Moines.

Transcriber’s note: Johnny McKibban was often mentioned in the Madisonian throughout the years. He acquired the nickname “Major” and was often referred to as “Major Johnny McKibban” in the newspaper. The origin of that nickname is as yet unknown. Johnny McKibban appears in the front row of the photograph of 1872 citizens found on the Madison County IAGenWeb website. The suddenness of his death is probably due to appendicitis.