John Rogan

John William Rogan (February 12, 1867 – September 11, 1905; some sources indicate 1871 as his birth year), was an American sharecropper who was recorded as the tallest non-mobile person ever and the second-tallest person ever at , behind Robert Wadlow.

Biography John Rogan on his cart driven by his goats, in Gallatin, TN.

John Rogan was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was the son of William Rogan, as the fourth of twelve children, his rapid growth began at the age of 13, due to gigantism. This led to ankylosis, an abnormal rigidity of the skeletal joints. By the age of 15, he was unable to stand or walk.

As he was unable to perform physical labor due to his condition, Rogan made a living by selling portraits and postcards at a train station. An 1897 article in the Kansas City Journal mentions that a number of his drawings were published. He declined all offers to join carnivals and sideshows. He used a goat-pulled cart like a wheelchair and was a center of attention, often noted for his deep voice and playful attitude.

Rogan died on September 11, 1905, due to complications related to his condition. Evidence points to his burial having been on old Rogan farmland.

Height and weight

In 1899, Rogan was measured at . He is the second tallest person on record and was recorded as the tallest person ever at the time, a title also claimed by Franz Winkelmeier. Robert Wadlow's height surpassed Rogan's in 1939.

Rogan weighed between and , often billed in newspapers as the "negro giant" and "living skeleton". Rogan's hands measured in length and his feet measured in length. Around the time of his death he measured .

A newspaper article reported that his maternal grandfather was also a giant, requiring a larger saddle when he rode horses, hinting at a possible genetic inheritance.