Nova Scotia Giantess - A Medina, O. despatch says: For the past 15 years Capt. M.V. Bates and wife, who were then the tallest couple on the globem lived in the southern part of Medina County. Martin VanBuren BATES, the son of John Wallace BATES and Sarah BATES was born at Whitesburg, Ky., Nov. 9, 1845. At the age of 17 he graduated from the Emery and Henry Colleges. He enlisted as a private in the Fifth Kentucky Confederate Infantry in Sept. 1861. During the raid of Gen. E. Kirby Smith in Kentucky, the Fifth crossed into Virginia where they formed the Virginia State Line Service, afterwards re-organized by an act of the Confederacy into the Seventh Confederate Cavalry and Mr. Bates was elected captain of Co. A under Col. Clarence J. Prentice. Mrs. Bates, formerly Anna SWAN was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander SWAN and was born at New Annan, Colchester Co., Nova Scotia and perhaps from some Highland ancestor inherited her enormous stature of 8 feet and 1 inch. Her father was a native of Dumfries, Scotland, while her mother, though a native of Nova Scotia, was of Scotch descent. Capt. Bates and Anna Swan were married June 17, 1871 by Sir Rupert Cockran of St. George's Church, Hanover Square, London. On Sunday Aug. 15, the community heard the news of Mrs. Bates. (see original)