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Noelle Talmon - Lists at Ranker

Weird History

For years, there have been reports of wild children&nbsp;raised in extraordinary circumstances, including a boy named Kaspar Hauser of&nbsp;Nuremberg, Germany.&nbsp;

The enigma of Kaspar Hauser involves the way he purportedly grew up - in a dark room by himself&nbsp;with few things to stimulate his mental and physical growth. His name was later attached to the&nbsp;condition Kaspar Hauser Syndrome, defined by a stunted appearance, decreased&nbsp;cognitive abilities, and limited vocabulary. Despite his initial setbacks, Kaspar managed to overcome his upbringing and develop&nbsp;exponentially&nbsp;a few years after his release from what was essentially solitary confinement.

Kaspar&#39;s miraculous recovery is not the norm for stories about <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-feral-children/justin-andress" target="_blank">feral children</a>. While some saw the tale as inspiring, others believed it was too extraordinary to be true. Kaspar stood by&nbsp;his claims, yet detractors were quick to point out the multiple inconsistencies in his ever-changing story, and Kaspar was known for exaggerating and frequently&nbsp;lying about events. It appears he may have even (albeit accidentally) ended his own life.&nbsp;

Kaspar Hauser Spent His Childhood Locked In An Empty Room, And The Tale Got Weirder Once He Escaped

General

This Poor Kid Spent His Entire Childhood Locked Inside An Empty Room – But The Story Gets Even Weirder After He Was Found

Noelle Talmon

Lists about some of the most extraordinary women who made history, forever changing the world and how we see it.

Well-Behaved Women

Beatrix Potter

If the name Beatrix Potter doesn't quite ring a bell, the name Peter Rabbit surely does. The fictional rabbit who&nbsp;spawned a series of books about talking animals and became a household name is the brain-bunny of Potter,&nbsp;born in 1866 in Kensington, England. As a young child, Beatrix Potter&nbsp;loved animals and spent much of her time drawing and painting pictures of everything from hedgehogs to frogs. She named her&nbsp;first pet rabbit Benjamin Bouncer, and he traveled on vacation with the Potter family to Scotland. Potter's second rabbit Peter Piper&nbsp;was a trickster and her constant companion,&nbsp;and these bunnies laid the foundation for the future <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/beatrix-potter-books-and-stories-and-written-works/reference" target="_blank">Beatrix Potter books</a>.Potter taught herself biology and mycology, creating detailed sketches and studies of the natural world around her, and even attempted to publish an academic paper when she was 20. But in the days long before women were respected and included in academic circles, Potter's work was rejected. Instead, she eventually found her niche in a burgeoning book genre: children's literature.&nbsp;Her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was published in 1902&nbsp;based on an illustrated letter she'd written to a&nbsp;sick child. Much like her American contemporary&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-the-real-laura-ingalls-wilder/amandasedlakhevener" target="_blank">Laura Ingalls Wilder</a>, Potter's main loves were a simple life and observing small things around her.&nbsp;She kept writing until 1930, and then she focused much of her time on farming.&nbsp;Upon her death in 1943, she left 15 farms and more than 4,000 acres of land to the British National Trust.&nbsp;

Unusual Facts About Beatrix Potter, The Creator Of Peter Rabbit

14 Unusual Facts About Beatrix Potter, The Creator Of Peter Rabbit

All the ways drugs have been used, abused, and influencing the world throughout history.

Historical Highs

Opium

The use of opium in the United States goes all the way back to the Pilgrims, who settled in Plymouth Colony in the 17th century. Physicians who traveled to America likely brought with them a drug known as laudanum, which contained 10%&nbsp;powered opium, to treat common ailments. The history of opium in the US evolved from a medical treatment to a recreational drug. Women were prescribed variants of opium to treat gender-specific issues, while moms fed their children morphine-spiked syrups to rid them of coughs. By the late 19th century,&nbsp;opiates were a habit or&nbsp;addiction&nbsp;for many Americans.The modern-day opioid&nbsp;epidemic affects thousands of Americans, which <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/opioid-epidemic-huntington-west-virgina/cheryl-adams-richkoff" target="_blank">got its start in West Virginia</a>. In 2015, 52,000 people&nbsp;died from an opiate overdose&nbsp;in the U.S. It's such a lucrative business that <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/james-kauffman-opium-murder-case/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">one doctor murdered his wife</a> when she threatened to expose his prescription opioid ring.&nbsp;If the trend continues, it's estimated that nearly 500,000 more&nbsp;will die within the next 10 years.

History of Opium Use in the United States

The Fascinating History of Opium Use in the United States

"Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." - Mark Twain

Past Fashion

Whoa Facts

Corsets became popular in the 16th century allegedly because&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/catherine-de-medici-flying-squadron/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">Catherine de' Medici</a>,&nbsp;wife of French King Henry II, banned women with thick waists from attending court. She was a tyrannical monarch, but the Italian-born woman created <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/crazy-womens-beauty-standards-from-history/machk" target="_blank">beauty standards</a> that held up exceptionally well.&nbsp;Corsets remained incredibly common during the Renaissance, up until the 20th century. <a href="https://www.chron.com/life/article/The-Corset-A-Cultural-History-by-Valerie-Steele-2030984.php" target="_blank">Certain historians</a>, however, suggested&nbsp;the restrictive undergarments&nbsp;contributed&nbsp;to the patriarchal system of female oppression.The inherent tightness of the shapewear&nbsp;appealed to the male-dictated understanding of&nbsp;femininity and attractiveness. So unsurprisingly, <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/vintage-x-rays-reveal-the-hidden-effects-of-corsets/" target="_blank">women wore</a> corsets to their own detriment. They suffered to achieve a smaller, more socially acceptable waist. Many&nbsp;21st century <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/deadly-fatal-victorian-beauty-trends-and-treatments/amandasedlakhevener" target="_blank">beauty trends</a> are&nbsp;as focused on the hourglass shape as well, but there are so many things people don't know about corsets.

11 Facts You Didn't Know About Corsets

11 Facts You Didn't Know About The History of Corsets

Lists about common mental illnesses and disorders and the many people around the world and throughout history who have lived with them.

A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Depression

Many creative types and political figures have a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/historical-geniuses-and-their-psychiatric-conditions/262249/" target="_blank">higher propensity</a> to suffer from mental health issues. This includes <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-influential-people-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous historical figures</a>. Studies have shown that some of these geniuses&nbsp;and people who seek public office might have struggled with these disorders. Historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, and Isaac Newton all had battles with depression.&nbsp;Some were able to pull themselves out of their emotional fragility, while others struggled for years to find balance in their lives. From world leaders to authors and painters, many historical figures were in a constant bout with mental illness.

Historical Figures Who Struggled With Depression

Person

10 Historical Figures Who Struggled With Depression

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Before the 1950s, Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale&nbsp;and her daughter Edith Bouvier Beale were members of an affluent family. But it all came crashing down after a divorce tore them apart.&nbsp;Known as Big Edie and Little Edie, the two were incredibly&nbsp;attached to one another. When Big Edie fell ill in 1952, Little Edie, age 35, moved in with her -&nbsp;sealing their fates.

The pair&nbsp;owned a lavish estate called Grey&nbsp;Gardens, which&nbsp;fell into disrepair when they could no longer afford the upkeep. The mother-daughter duo barely scraped together&nbsp;enough money to feed themselves, much less the hundreds of stray animals occupying their home. The Beales&nbsp;relied on financial&nbsp;help from close relative and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-jackie-kennedy/lyra-radford" target="_blank">former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy</a>&nbsp;to avoid eviction, but the 1975 documentary&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grey-Gardens-Edith-Bouvier-Beale/dp/B0020QK5ZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1524168073&amp;sr=8-1?&amp;tag=rankercom-20" target="_blank">Grey&nbsp;Gardens</a> revealed their wretched living conditions.

The tale of Big Edie and Little Edie&nbsp;serves as yet another dark chapter in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dark-kennedy-family-stories/lyra-radford" target="_blank">Kennedy family&#39;s story</a>.

Jackie Kennedy's Cousins Went From Wealth To Squalor In The Biggest Fall From Grace Ever

Kamala and Amala the wolf-children were <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-feral-children/justin-andress" target="_blank">feral girls</a> who purportedly lived with a pack of wolves in Bengal, India, in the early 1900s. Also known as the wolf children of Midnapore, the pair frightened local villagers with their wild behavior. Believing the children were apparitions, the locals enlisted the help of a clergyman who ran an orphanage 70 miles away from the village.The case of Amala and Kamala is interesting because one of the only proofs of their existence is the the diary of the Reverend J.A.L Singh. He wrote a detailed account of capturing the girls and his attempts at rehabilitating them. Singh spent nearly 10 years writing his observations about the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-john-ssebunya-the-boy-raised-by-monkeys/nicky-benson" target="_blank">feral girls</a>, who were approximately 18 months and eight years old upon capture.Singh's account of his two charges has been met with controversy over the years. Many speculate that much of his story about the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/life-of-dina-sanichar/nicky-benson" target="_blank">feral children</a> was made up; you'll have to make your own conclusions.

Villagers Thought They Were Demons – Until A Man Realized They Were Feral Children Raised By Wolves

Villagers Thought They Were Demons... Until One Man realized They Were Feral Children Raised By Wolves

Lists of real criminals and details about the bizarre, disgusting crimes they committed.

Insane True Crime & Criminals

Explainer

Children of famous &ndash; or, rather, infamous &ndash; criminals often have difficulty leading peaceful lives. As a drastic and tragic example, <a href="https://allthatsinteresting.com/charles-manson-son-charles-manson-jr" target="_blank">Charles Manson&#39;s son</a> went so far as to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bustle.com/p/what-happened-to-charles-mansons-children-his-sons-had-little-relationship-with-their-father-12063971" target="_blank">changed his name</a> to escape his heritage,&nbsp;but was still so tormented by his father&#39;s heinous acts that he <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/charles-manson-sons-death-suicide-kids-717025" target="_blank">ended his own life</a> in 1993.

Some descendants of historical criminals go out of their way to separate themselves from their famous relatives, while others embrace their family&#39;s notorious activities. Katrin Himmler, the great-niece of SS leader Heinrich Himmler, wrote a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Himmler-Brothers-German-Family-History/dp/0330448145" target="_blank">book</a> about her family entitled&nbsp;The Himmler Brothers: A German Family History.&nbsp;Ivan Guzman, son of&nbsp;El Chapo,&nbsp;is known to <a href="https://wearemitu.com/mitu-world/el-chapos-sons-are-still-showing-off-all-over-social-media/" target="_blank">flaunt</a> his extravagant lifestyle on social media. Victoria Gotti, daughter of&nbsp;John Gotti,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405545/" target="_blank">starred</a> in a couple of reality shows, while Hitler&#39;s nephew, William Patrick Hitler, changed his name to William Patrick &quot;Willy&quot; Stuart-Houston and tried to live a life of <a href="https://nypost.com/2018/10/08/some-of-hitlers-last-relatives-are-living-secret-lives-on-long-island/" target="_blank">anonymity</a> in Long Island, New York, following WWII.

No matter how they&#39;ve dealt with their parents&#39; transgressions, the children of notorious figures lead very&nbsp;unique lives.

Here Are The Descendants Of History's Most Notorious Criminals

Fascinating things you didn't know about your favorite entertainers, and lists that rank the greatest rock singers and musicians ever to grace the spotlights.

True Rock Stars

Have you ever wondered what the children of rock stars look like? Their famous parents spent much of their time on stage and in the recording studio, but they still had time to raise families. Many <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/most-musically-gifted-children-of-musicians" target="_blank">musicians' children</a> have launched successful music careers on their own, following in their parents' footsteps. James McCartney, for example, is a singer/songwriter just like his dad Paul. Sean and Julian Lennon have also pursued music like their father John.Other children of musicians have pursued different careers in entertainment. Actress Liv Tyler is just as famous as her dad, Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler. Theodora and Alexandra Richards, daughters of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, pursued modeling careers, as did Mick Jagger's daughter Georgia May.While it's probably challenging to be the offspring of a rock star, there are also a lot of perks. Good looks are innate, for example.

Here Are What The Descendants Of History's Craziest Rockstars Look Like

Here's What the Children Of History's Craziest Rockstars Look Like

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia

You probably remember the classic film <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Anastasia-Meg-Ryan/dp/B000SVZIGC" target="_blank">Anastasia</a>; you know, the cartoon musical with a talking bat? While it certainly <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-loosely-based-on-true-stories/ranker-film?ref=also_ranked&amp;pos=1&amp;a=0&amp;l=454776&amp;ltype=n&amp;g=1" target="_blank">wasn't a factual retelling</a> of the life of Anastasia Romanov, it did have certain elements that were undoubtedly true, namely that a young woman named Anna came very close to convincing the world she was the long lost Grand Duchess Anastasia.Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia&nbsp;was Czar Nicholas II's youngest daughter and a member of the Russian Imperial Romanov family. The family was placed under house arrest during the Bolshevik <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-the-mad-monk-grigori-rasputin/setareh-janda" target="_blank">Revolution</a>, and&nbsp;Anastasia was brutally murdered alongside her family by the secret police in 1918.&nbsp;But Anastasia&nbsp;lived on after death in a very bizarre way: a few years later, a woman named Anna Anderson convinced many people that she was Anastasia, and had somehow survived the massacre.Was Anastasia Romanov alive? Some thought it possible because the bodies of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/members-of-the-house-of-romanov/reference" target="_blank">Romanovs</a> vanished without a trace. No one could say for certain what happened to them even though it was believed they had been killed. Still, perhaps it was possible one or more of them had escaped. Anastasia <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/people-who-claimed-to-be-romanovs/cheryl-adams-richkoff" target="_blank">pretenders</a> became common, but one young woman stood out among the rest and captivated society - Anna Anderson. While many thought her story was just a tall tale, to this day there are still supporters who believe Anna Anderson truly was the last remaining member of the Imperial Romanovs.

This Mental Patient Almost Fooled The World Into Believing She Was The Grand Duchess Anastasia

This Unknown Mental Patient Almost Fooled Russia Into Believing She Was A Royal Duchess

Romano Mussolini

Romano Full was a well-known jazz musician in Italy during the second half of the twentieth century. But for a time, few people knew he was actually a son&nbsp;of one of the world's most <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/descendants-of-historical-villains-lives/nicky-benson" target="_blank">infamous dictators</a>, and he'd changed his name in order to protect himself and his career. Full's&nbsp;father, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/benito-mussolini-photos/rylee_en" target="_blank">Benito Mussolini</a>,&nbsp;created the Italian Fascist Party in 1915&nbsp;and became prime minister of the country in 1922. He made sweeping social changes, reduced unemployment, and for a time,&nbsp;earned the respect of his countrymen who nicknamed him &quot;Il Duce&quot; (The Leader). Mussolini made a military pact with Adolf Hitler in 1939, forcing the country into World War II in 1941. At the end of the war, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/benito-mussolini-death-photo/rylee_en" target="_blank">Mussolini was killed</a>&nbsp;by angered Italians&nbsp;while trying to escape to Switzerland.Romano was convinced that his family name would cause him problems professionally&nbsp;and after he changed his surname,&nbsp;he found some success as Romano Full. Eventually, however, he fully embraced his heritage and became a member of what would become one of Italy's most celebrated <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jazz-bands-and-artists/reference" target="_blank">jazz bands</a>.

To Become A Jazz Great, He Had To Hide His True Heritage – The Son Of A Hitler-Supporting Dictator

How Romano Mussolini Hid His Heritage To Become a Jazz Great

Sister Louise Marie-Th&eacute;r&egrave;se, the Black Nun of Moret, was a French Benedictine nun who history remembers&nbsp;for a very scandalous reason:&nbsp;many believe she was the illegitimate daughter of Queen Maria Theresa&nbsp;of France&nbsp;and her&nbsp;African&nbsp;servant, a dwarf named Nabo. But there exist&nbsp;varying accounts from multiple sources regarding the nun&#39;s heritage. Once Louise Marie-Th&eacute;r&egrave;se began claiming she was the daughter of royalty, many began to speculate&nbsp;that her mother was the queen, who had an affair because she was sick of watching her husband, Louis XIV, have affairs&nbsp;with other women.

It&#39;s important to note that the Queen of France gave birth in front of several people, who were present to confirm if the child who was born indeed came from the queen&#39;s womb; this practice insured infants could not be swapped out for other babies. While Maria&nbsp;Theresa&nbsp;did give birth to a daughter in 1664, the same year Louise Marie-Th&eacute;r&egrave;se was born, it&#39;s unclear whether the baby died at birth or whether the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-historical-bastards/carly-silver" target="_blank">child was the&nbsp;illegitimate</a> Louise Marie-Th&eacute;r&egrave;se, who was whisked away in secrecy because of her dark skin.

Was The Black Nun Of Moret Queen Maria Theresa's Illegitimate Daughter?

Turns Out Louis XIV's Wife Cheated On Him With An African Dwarf

Graveyard Shift

To understand the Paul Getty kidnapping, you need to know a little bit about Getty family history. Paul, also known as John Paul Getty III, was the grandson of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/members-of-the-getty-family/reference" target="_blank">J. Paul Getty</a>, the man who began making money from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-Paul-Getty#ref369148" target="_blank">oil leases</a> in the 1910s&nbsp;and became extremely wealthy.&nbsp;Despite his vast wealth, however, he was a very frugal man. He had all the money in the world&nbsp;but was very particular about how it was distributed among his children and grandchildren.

Getty&nbsp;was supposedly such a miser that his fifth wife, Teddy Getty Gaston, revealed her ex-husband got upset with her for spending too much on medical treatments for their 6-year-old son, Timmy, who had a brain tumor, and he demanded she pay the bills from her own small allowance. When Timmy passed in 1958 at age 12, his father <a href="https://people.com/celebrity/teddy-getty-gaston-dies-j-paul-getty-ex-wife/" target="_blank">did not attend the funeral</a>. Teddy divorced him that year.&nbsp;

Knowing all of this, it doesn&#39;t seem too surprising that Getty refused to pay Paul&#39;s&nbsp;ransom after he <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-kidnapping-victims/ranker-news" target="_blank">was kidnapped</a>&nbsp;in 1973. But was money really more important than blood?

His Grandfather Was The Richest Man On Earth, He Was Kidnapped At 16, And Nobody Came To Save Him

The Insane Kidnapping of John Paul Getty III

Everything you didn't know about the so-called leaders of the free world, from their favorite foods to their pets' names.

U.S. Presidents

History

There&#39;s a universally grim&nbsp;fascination with seeing an individual&#39;s last image before death. It&#39;s somehow compelling to look&nbsp;at a photo or portrait captured in the weeks, days, or even moments before they took their last breaths. So it&#39;s only natural that the last photos of presidents are also intriguing. Some <a href="/list/rare-photos-of-us-presidents/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">US presidential death photos</a> were taken by professionals, and show the more gentle effects of <a href="/list/all-the-ailments-of-every-us-president/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">medical ailments</a> and time; others depict them mere moments before a violent assassination.

One of John F. Kennedy&#39;s final photos, for instance, shows him in a motorcade with the smiling First Lady. He&#39;s sitting behind the Texas Governor John Connally and his wife, unknowingly driving towards those fatal gunshots in Dallas. Dozens of people are pictured in the background, cheering on the American leader.

The last known image of Franklin D. Roosevelt was snapped just one day before he died of a cerebral hemorrhage. It was taken in Warm Springs, GA, at his retreat called The Little White House. Roosevelt complained of head pain and then passed away shortly afterwards.

Just like <a href="/list/photos-of-presidents-weddings/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">wedding pictures</a>, the last known pictures of US presidents capture a unique &ndash; and uniquely memorable &ndash; part of life. They&#39;re a gripping reminder that these larger-than-life figures were, in fact, men after all.

The Last Pictures Of US Presidents Before They Died

Looking closer at the fascinating early days in old Hollywood and ranking the top films of the golden age of cinema.

Glitz and Glamour

Pop Culture

When you think &quot;Hollywood,&quot; whose&nbsp;immortal faces spring to mind? Clark Gable? Tony Curtis? Elizabeth Taylor? These stars were some of the leading actors in what's known as the Golden Age of Hollywood – the time in cinematic history that took place between the 1920s and the early 1960s. It's an era marked by glittering excess and eyebrow raising <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/forgotten-old-hollywood-scandals/thaneeconomou" target="_blank">scandal</a>, and some of the most memorable films of all time.There are many <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-us-presidents-descendants-look-like/nicky-benson" target="_blank">descendants</a> of Golden Age stars, some of whom also pursued entertainment careers and have recognizable names. Old Hollywood stars' kids include Mariska Hargitay&nbsp;(the daughter of blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield), Michael Douglas (the son of leading man Kirk Douglas), and Melanie Griffith (the daughter of Alfred Hitchcock's muse Tippi Hedren). These celebrities with famous parents were able to carve out their own careers independent of their families' success.The Golden Age of Hollywood is remembered through rose-colored glasses, despite the often grim realities of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/classic-old-hollywood-studio-system-abuses/anncasano" target="_blank">studio system abuses</a> and rampant racism and sexism. Nevertheless, countless stars carved out places for themselves, and seemingly passed on their talent and good fortune to their children and grandchildren.

Here's What The Living Descendants Of Classic Hollywood's Most Famous Stars Look Like Today

The original versions and real stories behind the fairy tales we've been whispering to sleepy children.

Once Upon a Time

Alice in Wonderland

You&#39;re probably more likely to know&nbsp;Charles Lutwidge Dodgson as British author Lewis Carroll. He wrote Alice&#39;s Adventures in Wonderland&nbsp;and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass.&nbsp;But what you may not know is how close a relationship he forged with a young girl named Alice Liddell, the real Alice in Wonderland, and the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-juana-maria/setareh-janda" target="_blank">inspiration behind his novels</a>. This relationship has&nbsp;been heavily studied and scrutinized, with many believing it had <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/true-story-that-inspired-nabokovs-lolita/nicky-benson" target="_blank">Lolita-esque aspirations.</a>

Dodgson wrote under a pseudonym, and the first in the series, often shortened to Alice in Wonderland,&nbsp;centers on the titular character falling into a rabbit hole and meeting a serious of fantastical creatures. The book is one of a few that&nbsp;has maintained its popularity despite being published over 150 years ago, like <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-the-real-laura-ingalls-wilder/amandasedlakhevener" target="_blank">Laura Ingalls Wilder&#39;s</a> Little House On The Prairie series.

Dodgson&nbsp;wasn&#39;t simply a writer. He studied mathematics at Oxford University and was a skilled photographer. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson photos are interesting due to their subject matter:&nbsp;over half of his surviving photographs depict prepubescent girls. Lewis Carroll and children go hand and hand - he&nbsp;loved children, and they loved him. But over the years, many have questioned his relationships with young girls, although there&#39;s no conclusive evidence that he acted on any&nbsp;inappropriate&nbsp;impulses.

The Real Alice In Wonderland Was An 11-Year-Old Girl Lewis Carroll Had An Unusual Relationship With

Turns Out The Real Alice In Wonderland Was An 11-Year-Old Girl Who Lewis Carroll Had A Demented Crush On

Who are those people who lived in the White House, making appearances and speeches and promises and mistakes? To understand them, you must get to know the spouses, children, and even siblings of U.S. Presidents, past and present. 

The First Family

US History

The list of US presidents&#39; descendants is exhaustive. Many of our American leaders&#39; children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so forth have grown up to lead very successful and lucrative careers. A few have <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/us-president-first-100-days/stephanroget" target="_blank">dabbled in politics</a> like their predecessors, while&nbsp;others have devoted their lives to public service. Some of these presidents&#39; direct descendants are frequently&nbsp;perceived&nbsp;as <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/descendants-of-historical-villains-lives/nicky-benson" target="_blank">villains</a>&nbsp;rather than public servants, and some have opted to stay out of the limelight altogether.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While only several <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/all-the-ailments-of-every-us-president/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">former US presidents</a> are still living,&nbsp;many living <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/children-of-historical-figures/garri-chaverst" target="_blank">direct descendants of presidents</a> are making their respective marks through various means. From Theodore Roosevelt all the way to Donald Trump, this list chronicles the children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of notable US leaders.&nbsp;You may recognize some of these names, but&nbsp;others may&nbsp;be less familiar.

&nbsp;

Here's What The Living Descendants Of US Presidents Look Like

Here's What All The Living Descendants Of US Presidents Look Like, And Warning, It Ain't Pretty

Survival

Agafia Lykova,&nbsp;known to some as the Siberian hermit woman, is an incredible individual who has <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/people-who-survived-while-isolated-from-civilization/daveesons" target="_blank">lived alone</a> in the Russian wilderness for more than 70 years. The Lykov family &ndash;&nbsp;Karp Lykov, his wife&nbsp;Akulina, and their two sons &ndash;&nbsp;moved to the isolated Siberian region of Russia in the 1930s. They built a cabin and had two more children, including Agafia.&nbsp;

In the summer, conditions can be manageable, but during the winter months,&nbsp;temperatures&nbsp;in Siberia&nbsp;plummet. For perspective, Oymyakom is located in Siberia, and it is considered to be <a href="https://weather.com/news/news/earths-coldest-town-siberia-20130123" target="_blank">the coldest town on Earth</a>. One day in 1933, the temperature dropped to a mind-numbing&nbsp;-89.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

A large food supply&nbsp;is essential for survival, as&nbsp;lots of calories are required to build fat and protect against the cold weather. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to grow crops because the land is green and fertile for only a few months out of the year.&nbsp;

Despite lack of food and basic amenities, Agafia&nbsp;managed to make a life for herself while&nbsp;living alone in the wilderness for more than&nbsp;30 years.

Born In Total Isolation In Siberia, She Went Decades Without Knowing The Outside World Existed

This Woman Was Born In Total Isolation In Siberia And Went Decades Without Knowing The Outside World Existed

The life of <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=8PSsLi38eJsC&amp;pg=PA26&amp;lpg=PA26&amp;dq=marie-ang%C3%A9lique+memmie+le+blanc&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=pla6Sh9Ltt&amp;sig=sCvqgvvZynuZGHwy3bcYwy6aQNk&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj70pPswPreAhWIllQKHZAxCts4ChDoATAJegQIABAB#v=onepage&amp;q=marie-ang%C3%A9lique%20memmie%20le%20blanc&amp;f=false" target="_blank">Marie-Ang&eacute;lique Memmie Le Blanc</a> was marked by pain, wealth, and the burdens of fame. Originally a Sioux from&nbsp;present-day Wisconsin, she became a&nbsp;feral child after escaping a French slave ship. When she was found by a French village years later,&nbsp;her notoriety&nbsp;helped her rise through the ranks of&nbsp;18th-century French society until she was an accepted and respected member of the aristocracy. Throughout her life, she would be known by several&nbsp;monikers, most notably The Wild Girl of Champagne, The Maid of Ch&acirc;lons, and The Wild Child of Songy.

Memmie Le Blanc was still a teenager when she was found in a wooded area outside Songy, a village&nbsp;in the French countryside. She had somehow managed to survive for years on her own by hunting for her own food. While most&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-feral-children/justin-andress" target="_blank">feral children</a> are irrevocably changed by their environment and lack of socialization, Le Blanc managed to gradually adjust to the conventions and expectations of French culture.

After she was found and integrated into society, she learned the communication and etiquette of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/story-of-the-real-beauty-and-the-beast-couple/genevieve-carlton" target="_blank">French aristocracy</a>. Her bittersweet story of isolation, assimilation, and transition provides insight not only into the resilience of human nature, but the intricacies and eccentricities of human civilization.&nbsp;

From Literal Rags To Riches: The Unprecedented Rise Of Marie Le Blanc

After the world didn't end with the conflict between the Allied and Central Powers, the decade that followed saw a surge of prosperity marked by jazz, flappers, bootlegging, household technology, and the Charleston.

The Roaring (19)Twenties

American fashion in the&nbsp;1920s helped set men and women free. After decades of conforming to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/deadly-fatal-victorian-beauty-trends-and-treatments/amandasedlakhevener" target="_blank">Victorian-era</a> styles, women moved towards a more modern look. While in decades past they squeezed themselves into form-fitting corsets and other undergarments, fads and trends from the 1920s&nbsp;went the opposite direction.&nbsp;Female shoppers no longer accentuated their curves – they hid them. The hourglass figure was out; boyish slimness was in. And 1920s hair and makeup changed dramatically, too; short bobs and bold cosmetics became the must-have look of this new era.Men's fashion was less fluid, but they too embraced 1920s&nbsp;trends and fads. They wore long overcoats and fur (just like women), and relied on custom slim-fitted suits. As for personal flair, that came in the form of hats and accessories. The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/western-male-beauty-standards-over-time/rachel-souerbry" target="_blank">ideal male physique</a> of the time was slender – all the better for showing up on camera.The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/us-beauty-trends-in-the-twentieth-century/nicky-benson" target="_blank">ideal beauty standards for men and women</a> continued to evolve and change throughout the 20th century. Nevertheless, the Jazz Age provides a particularly fascinating glimpse into a distinctive moment in American style.

Here's What The Ideal Beauty Standards For Men And Women In The 1920s Looked Like

Here's What 1920s Beauty Standards For Men & Women Looked Like

Historical Photos

If you're looking to have a little chuckle today, check out these pictures of nuns doing everyday things. The stereotypical nun is a stuffy, religious woman who follows the rules and is&nbsp;pious in every way. So, you might not think vintage pictures of Catholic nuns would be interesting. But you'd be wrong – nuns do much more than look stern and pray.Nuns are still people, after all, and in many ways they live normal lives. They can (gasp!) drive cars, go grocery shopping, and visit the beach. They also shake loose every now and then, and that makes for some pretty funny nun images. You'll see pics of nuns in habits playing sports, imbibing in alcohol (and other vices), hanging out with fellow community members, and just having fun.These old photographs of nuns <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/funny-amish-photos/nathandavidson" target="_blank">doing normal things</a>&nbsp;serve as humorous and fascinating reminders of their humanity – even if they still seem holier-than-thou.

16 Photos Of Nuns Living Life Just Like The Rest Of Us

The Jungle Book

Many believe that Dina Sanichar, the Indian wolf boy, was the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's famous work, The Jungle Book.&nbsp;Just like Mowgli, Dina was a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-feral-children/justin-andress" target="_blank">feral boy</a> raised by wolves, although his life was quite different from his fictional counterpart's. Mowgli the man-cub entranced readers with his fascinating upbringing. After wandering into an Indian forest, he was adopted by the animals who fed, protected, and sheltered him. Dina, too, was raised by wolves. But the boy who inspired Mowgli did not have such a fantastical life.Kipling was born in India and lived there until the age of six. He moved to England but then returned to the country of his birth 10 years later. He wrote The Jungle Book&nbsp;in 1895, less than 20 years after Dina Sanichar was captured living among a pack of wolves. Unlike Mowgli, Dina was mentally stunted despite years of reintegration into human society.Dina isn't the only one who <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-juana-maria/setareh-janda" target="_blank">lived an unusual life</a> or whose story was <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/true-story-that-inspired-nabokovs-lolita/nicky-benson" target="_blank">made into a book</a>. But he most certainly made an impact on one of Britain's most famous writers.

The Real-Life Inspiration For Mowgli In The Jungle Book Was A Feral Child Raised By Wolves

Lists about ways people around the world and throughout history have altered their own appearances in the quest for physical beauty.

Hey, Good Lookin'

Since the dawn of civilization, a lot of important things have happened. Here are lists of about the many winding routes we took to get where we are today.

Historical Contexts

Lifestyle

Beauty is fluid. For proof, look no further than the varied beauty and fashion trends popular in the United States in the 20th century. Depending on the decade, the ideal man or woman looked quite different.&nbsp;While&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/western-male-beauty-standards-over-time/rachel-souerbry" target="_blank">men&#39;s styles</a> focused largely on clothing rather than their bodies, 20th century beauty trends for women were heavily influenced by the size and shapes of their figures.

As television and film became more popular midway through the century, Americans began looking pop culture and&nbsp;beauty icons for fashion cues. Women pined to look like blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe in the &#39;50s, and waiflike&nbsp;Kate Moss in the &#39;90s. Men first looked at silver screen stars and later bulked-up bodybuilders as influences.

Some of these fashion trends in the 20th century look outdated to modern eyes. But whether the look was understated and tailored or over-the-top and glamorous, these trends were all the craze at one point. Just remember: beauty was, and is, in the eye of the beholder.

These Were The Ideal Beauty Standards For Men And Women Throughout The 20th Century

Ideal Beauty Standards For Men And Women Throughout The 20th Century

Shining a spotlight on shocking deeds done by damsels in anything but distress.

Very Bad Girls

Between 1924 and 1950, a woman named Georgia Tann abducted and separated more than 5,000 children from their parents, many of whom were poor and unwed mothers. Tann looked like a grandmother, and few families had any idea that she was actually a Tennessee <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-deadliest-baby-farmers-in-history/cat-mcauliffe" target="_blank">baby farmer</a>.

During her time working at the Tennessee Children&#39;s Home Society, she and her network of social worker &quot;spotters&quot; would search for children to pull into their operation. With the help of politician friends, Tann was able to legally separate parents from their children by citing neglect.&nbsp;The most attractive children were sold to wealthy families, including celebrities.

Hundreds of unwanted and unadoptable children died under Tann&#39;s care, often due to neglect and starvation. It&#39;s believed that some of the children&#39;s bodies may still <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2qhVQR5u08" target="_blank">be buried</a> on the grounds of the children&#39;s home where Tann operated.

Tann spent more than 25 years kidnapping children and profiting off of the poor. Although&nbsp;she isn&#39;t the first woman in history to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-the-irish-magdalene-laundries/lisa-a-flowers" target="_blank">separate&nbsp;children from their families</a>, her story is one of the most bizarre and disturbing out there.

The Unbelievable Story Of How One Woman Made Millions Of Dollars By Stealing And Reselling Children

How Georgia Tann Abducted and Sold Thousands of Children

Photos

In&nbsp;1907, two men, Francis Earnest and “Alligator” Joe Campbell, opened a Los Angeles <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/30/alligator-farm/#HAI_r1caEEq4" target="_blank">alligator farm</a> in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. They called it the California Alligator Farm, and it was home to&nbsp;thousands of reptiles that visitors could interact with (including snakes, lizards, and crocodiles). Admission&nbsp;was just 25 cents.&nbsp;At one point, the amusement park was one of the city's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5_krRvKDHZfa9ml94mWlww" target="_blank">most popular</a> tourist attractions.A promotional brochure for the Farm touted: &quot;Here are to be seen hundreds of alligators of all sizes, from little babies, hardly the size of a lizard, up to huge monsters, 500 years old or more.&quot; In reality, alligators typically live to the age of 50, not 500. They fed the alligators chickens and ground meat. Alligators were separated by size because they have cannibalistic instincts and will eat one another.Photos of the Los Angeles Alligator Farm&nbsp;show people interacting with the creatures in all sorts of ways. In several pictures, very young children can be&nbsp;seen playing with baby gators or watching them at a very close distance. One of the highlights of the Farm was watching the keepers lure the alligators up a set of stairs before they cruised&nbsp;down a 16-foot slide into a pool of water.In 1925, the eight-year-old son of the owner, Francis Earnest, Jr., was playing with one of the bigger, older alligators when he was bitten on the arm. His uncle jumped into action, straddled the gator, and poked his fingers into the creature's eyes, likely saving the young boy's life. Junior survived with just a scar on his arm. Fortunately, there were never any Los Angeles alligator farm <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-10-most-horrible-amusement-park-accidents/ihateeverything" target="_blank">deaths</a>. However, some gators escaped during floods into the surrounding neighborhood, and it wasn't uncommon for fraternity boys to break in and steal a gator or two.One of the farm's most famous alligators was named Billy, who starred in Hollywood films. One of his skills was opening his jaws on command (when tempted by a piece of meat off camera). Other residents of the farm were turned into hand bags and briefcases. The farm relocated to Buena Park near Knott's Berry Farm in 1953, and by the '70s and '80s it had begun focusing more on education. A drop in attendance resulted in it closing in 1984.

An Alligator Farm In The Middle Of LA - What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

A Look Inside The Mind-Bogglingly Dangerous Los Angeles Alligator Farm

The fascinating, sometimes tragic lives of identical twins joined in utero who beat the odds, survived infancy, and became people of interest around the world.

Conjoined for Life

People Trivia

Conjoined twins <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lives-Loves-Daisy-Violet-Hilton/dp/1580087582?&amp;tag=rankercom-20" target="_blank">Daisy and Violet Hilton</a> were born in the early 1900s in England. Referred to as Siamese Twins, the Hilton sisters were connected at the hip&nbsp;and buttocks. At the time of their birth, it was feared separating them would cause one or both&nbsp;to die. If the Hilton conjoined twins were born in the 21st century, it&#39;s likely they could&nbsp;have been surgically separated; because unlike most conjoined twins, such as <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/conjoined-twins-abby-and-brittany-facts/laura-allan?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Abby and Brittany</a>,&nbsp;Daisy and Violet only shared blood circulation and each had their own organs.&nbsp;

The twins&#39; mother abandoned them after they were born, and the sisters&nbsp;were displayed in sideshows from the age of three&nbsp;through adulthood. When Daisy Hilton and Violet Hilton moved to the United States, they became famous for their vaudeville act and their burlesque performances during the 1920s and 1930s; they also appeared in a couple of films. The conjoined burlesque sisters struggled under the heavy hand of their guardians before reaching financial independence. Ultimately, the world grew bored of their act, and they lived the last of their days content to be clerks at a grocery store.&nbsp;

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