Mills Darden

Who was Mills Darden?

Mills Darden is alleged to have been one of the largest men in history. He was widely reported to have stood approximately 7 feet 6 inches tall and is said to have weighed around 1,000 to 1,100 pounds at his heaviest, and possibly more. If the reported figures are correct, Darden was 30 percent taller and about six times as heavy as the average American male of the 21st-century.

Mills Darden was born on October 7, 1799, near Rich Square, North Carolina, United States, to John and Mary Darden. He was married at least once and had several children. His wife Mary, who died in 1837 aged about 40, was 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 98 pounds, and the tallest of their sons reached 5 feet 11 inches.

He died on January 23, 1857. He was buried in Lexington, Tennessee. His grave, and his wife's, have been restored by the local Development Authority. No known verifiable photo remains of him.