Never Forget the Amazing Story of Texas’ Four-Legged Woman

There have been some truly incredible & amazing historic stories from Texas. But perhaps one of the most incredible has to be the story of the Four Legged Woman from Texas. It's a sad story but it's also a story of feel good moments sprinkled throughout too.

Who was the Four Legged Woman From Texas?

Josephine Myrtle Corbin was born on May 12, 1868 in Lincoln County, Tennessee. She was born with an extremely rare condition; she was born with a dipygus twin. This meant that she had a 2nd set of legs growing out between her outer legs. Despite having 4 legs, only 1 was actually functional.

She WAS a normal girl but sadly...growing up in the 1800s, there weren't many jobs for a four legged woman. But there was one... becoming a sideshow act. She would join the sideshow circus circuit at the age of 13 in 1881 sporting the name "The Four-Legged Woman from Texas" where she would make $450 a week. That's little over $13,000 a week in today's money.

Eventually she would actually join P.T. Barnum's circus after he heard of Myrtle & stayed there for 4 years. Despite other stories coming out of other four legged women, Myrtle Corbin was the ONLY REAL one back in the day.

However, things WOULD get better for Myrtle. She would be married in June of 1886 & would retire from show business. 5 years later she would give birth to her first child, Nancy Estella. Myrtle moved to Bono, Texas in 1896, where she gave birth to her next child, Clinton Francis Bicknell. The family would later move to Cleburne & stayed at a home at 205 Graham St. Together they would have 4 daughters and 1 son together

Tragically Myrtle Corbin would pass away on May 6, 1928 as the result of a streptococcal skin infection. Her casket would buried in concrete to prevent people from robbing her grave.

While it's really sad thinking that she couldn't do any jobs ASIDE from being a side show attraction. However it really is comforting know that Myrtle was able to find love AND bear children despite the disabilities she was facing. May she rest in peace.

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