Chang and Eng Bunker with their sons; Eng's son James (age 21) and Chang's son Albert (age 12). Chang and Eng (May 11, 1811 - January 17, 1874) were conjoined twin brothers whose condition and birthplace (Siam, now Thailand) became the basis for the term "Siamese twins." The brothers were born on May 11, 1811, joined at the sternum by a small piece of cartilage. Their livers were fused but independently complete. In 1829, they were "discovered" in Siam by British merchant Robert Hunter and toured the world as a curiosity. Upon termination of their contract they were determined to start living a normal life as much as possible. They became naturalized United States citizens, settled on a plantation in North Carolina, bought slaves and adopted the last name "Bunker". The twins died on the same day in January 1874. Chang, who had contracted pneumonia, died rather suddenly in his sleep. Eng awoke to find his brother dead, and called for his wife and children to attend to him. A doctor was summoned to perform an emergency separation, but Eng refused to be separated from his dead brother. He died three hours later. Photographed by Samuel Masury, 1870.