John Rogan (February 12, 1867 – September 11, 1905; some sources indicate 1868 or 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 8 ft, behind only Robert Wadlow.

Biography

John Rogan was born in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was the son of the former slave 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 1882, he could not stand or walk. Although 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. In 1899, he was measured at 8 ft, then tied with Franz Winkelmeier as the tallest person ever at the time. He weighed between 175 lb and 205 lb, often billed in newspapers as the "negro giant" and "living skeleton". He used a goat-pulled cart like a wheelchair and was always the center of attention, often noted for his deep voice and playful attitude. Rogan's hands measured 11 in in length and his feet measured 13 in in length. Around the time of his death he measured 8 ft 9 in (2.67m). He is the second tallest person on record. Robert Wadlow's height surpassed Rogan's in 1939. 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. Rogan died on September 11, 1905, due to complications related to his condition. Evidence points to his burial having been on old Rogan farmland.