One of America's first sets of famous multiples said no to freebies

No they did not do it, too: Reflecting back on their childhoods, Baltimore's famous Henn quads, born in 1947, say the family didn't want to forever live off the generosity of others.  Their dad "turned all that down, because we just want to be a normal family."

Yet another family in Kate's shoes is going on record saying they wanted something different for their multiples. (Other families have also shunned Kate's choices, including the Headricks.)

In 1947, three boys and one girl were born to a young World War II vet and his British wife who had recently made their home together in the United States. Hard to believe today, but the public was just as curious about the four babies as the much higher-order multiples that made news decades later. 

Publicity and freebies naturally followed, but Dad Charles only accepted a few select offerings and instead worked two jobs to support the family. He taught the children "if you want something, find a way to work and pay for it. That's the way we were brought up."

The Henn family in 2000.

As for the Gosselins, the quads say it's all about the money: "You know, I think they're after the money, versus we at the time didn't care about that. We just wanted to be normal."

The children went on to be just that, normal, well-adjusted adults with successful careers, including real estate, teaching, photography and serving in Vietnam. The only girl, Joan, even coached the University of Arkansas women's basketball and then helped special needs children until her death from cancer in 2000. 

Good job, Mr. and Mrs. Henn.