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| CHESTER LLOYD WIBLE |
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| at age 27 |
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| "Harry, the Horse Man" appeared at the Wonderland Circus Sideshow at Coney Island in 1929. He appears to have the same or similar condition as Lloyd. On the right is "Joerilla" billed as "ugly as a gorilla" and on the left is "Josepha, known as the double-bodied girl" from Austria. She suposedly had a parasitic twin, but, Like "Margarete Clark" who would come later, "Josepha" was a fake. Alvera Moscarola, the lady who put over the act, was arrested in 1930 for "obtaining money under false pretenses". She admitted she had never been to Austria. |
| close-up, Ed. J. Kelty photo |
| Lloyd Wible was born in 1898, the third of seven children to Porter and Mary Wible. He grew up and spent a larger part of his early years living and working on his father's farm in rural Pennsylvania in a small town called Springfield. His powerfully built upper body indicates that he moved around on his hands and that if he made use of some sort of wheelchair, it wasn't often. His clothing indicates he was in the show business but I do not know how he was promoted. The photo to the left, with Lloyd in what appears to be period men's swim wear, may indicate that he was a professional swimmer ala legless athlete Charles "Zimmy" Zibelman. |
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| In 1918 when Lloyd was 20 years old he had to fill out a draft registration card. U.S. involvement in WWI led to a law being passed that required all eligible men whether foreign born or not, whether physically able or not, to register. Lloyd filled in the card, noting rather matter-of-factly that he was an "invalid" and that his "lower limbs (were) paralyzed". Census records also list him as an invalid but that he could read and write so one must assume he attended school growing up. Lloyd passed away in 1977. His last known address was Hustontown, PA |