From Farm Life to the Stage
In the 19th century, two brothers measuring just 40 inches tall and weighing 45 pounds each were earning a fortune by lifting men twice their size. Marketed as Waino and Plutanor, the “Wild Men of Borneo” became one of America’s most famous sideshow attractions—but their real names were Hiram and Barney Davis, and their story began in Pleasant Township, Ohio.
Reinvented Origins and Touring Success
Hiram, born in England in 1825, and Barney, born in Ohio in 1827, were the sons of David Davis and Catherine Blydenburgh. After their father died in 1842, their mother remarried. The brothers, described as mentally disabled, were discovered by a promoter known as Doctor Warner in 1852, who fabricated a sensational story: that they had been captured in Borneo after a fierce struggle with sailors.
Though some press accounts disputed this, the narrative held. They toured state fairs and museums, performing feats of strength like wrestling volunteers and lifting hundreds of pounds. They were living in Massachusetts by 1860, and by 1874, they were valued at $50,000.
Barnum and the Height of Fame
In the 1880s, their act gained national prominence when P. T. Barnum added them to his traveling shows. Promoted as exotic and powerful, Waino and Plutanor earned an estimated $200,000 over 25 years—a sum equivalent to more than $6.8 million today.
Their performances included lifting grown men and grappling on stage. They remained active into the 1890s, with management passed to Ernest Warner after Hanford Warner, their previous manager, lost his sight.
Retirement and Death
The brothers stopped performing in 1903. Hiram died in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1905. Barney, who had ceased working after his brother’s death, died in 1912.
Though reports initially stated they were buried in Massachusetts, their remains were later moved to Mount Vernon, Ohio, where a single gravestone labeled “Little Men” marks their grave. Their former manager, Hanford Warner, died in 1910.
In the mid-1800s, two brothers under 40 inches tall stunned crowds by lifting grown men and wrestling volunteers.
Marketed as the “Wild Men of Borneo,” Waino and Plutanor toured the U.S. as exotic strongmen—but behind the myth were Ohio-born Hiram and Barney Davis…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/XgxE0XndsQ
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) May 31, 2025