Death of the Largest Man in Kentucky

The largest man, perhaps, that ever lived in the State of Kentucky, William G. Willis, died at a small village in this county by the name of Bullitsville, on Wednesday, the 29 inst., with apoplexy. He was sick but a few hours. His age was forty-eight years. He was without a doubt the largest man in the State, weighing five hundred pounds on the day of his death. His average wight has varied during the last few years from five hundred and twenty down as low as four hundred and ninety pounds,but he was weighing an even five hundred pounds at the time of his death. His height was about six feet. He was keeping a toll-gate at the time of his death, and the passers-by had to go to him to pay their toll in place of him going to them. He of late years has been in Barnum's Museum, in New York,but left there about the time the museum was burned last fall."

Louisville Daily Courier, August 3, 1868