The following is taken from a hand written ledger. September 24, 1890.
Sketch of the life travels and adventures of T.J. Coatney designed to assist memory in
preparing a more complete work later.
Thomas Jefferson Coatney was born December 15, 1857 in Scott County, Indiana a few miles
east of Austin. A little town situated on the ?????Ky.... near a little stream called
Hwtto (probably an Indian name) upon a farm called the Owen place surrounded by the
primitive forests of North America.
December 15th A.D.1857. My parents were George Washington Coatney born a descendent of
the McIntosh family of Kentucky Estill Co.and was a man of rare intelligence, mental
power, and attainments, and integrity firmness, and innocence. He labored under great
disadvantages physically owing to injuries received to his eyes. The right eye being hurt
in the following manner. At the age of eight years in the State of Kentucky though he was
born in Jefferson County Indiana and his parents moved with him. While his mother swept
the house he sat upon the floor whittling with a knife having the little blade open. She
asked him to move and he did not. Then she took him by his right arm and raised him up
with a quick movement which caused him to stick the blade in his eye. He never saw out of
it any more. Purely accidental and sincerely regretted. Then about 18 years afterward they
had returned to Jefferson County Indiana where he was afflicted with a fever. Being partly
recovered he !
went to a spring with a rifle gun to look for a squirrel desiring something of that kind
to eat. The gun was cocked and laying across his knee when on account of weak nervousness
it was accidentally discharged. A piece of the percussion cap struck him in the left eye
and nearly put it out so that when it healed there was a milky spec covering the greater
part of the pupil causing defective sight so he could no longer see to read. He could see
people coming but could not tell a man from a woman at 50 yards. However he was to do
blacksmithing. I have seen him mend his log chains and work on axes. He could saw, chop,
plow, sow, or do nearly any kind of farm work. Also make the very best of baskets or
brooms which later two things he learned to do at the Institution for the Blind at
Indianapolis Indiana where he went for treatment after his left eye was hurt. The
Institution being in charge of Dr. Vanmeter. After recovering so that he could travel he
went about lecturing and te!
aching Phrenology in which he was proficient having been a very dilige
nt reader in youth while he was learning the blacksmith business with the Tobis family in
Jefferson County in his native state. Going first into Kentucky and then returning to
southern Indiana.
It was while traveling in his native county in the year 1857 being united in his
business with a magic lantern and slight of hand show conducted by one John T. Whitman
that he became aquatinted with and married Miss Arminda Bernard Spurgeon who is my beloved
mother. She being native of the County of Scott State on Indiana. My earliest recollection
being that we lived in a house upon a farm owned by George Miranda several miles southwest
of my birthplace. At that time I was about two years old and thought that I could chop
stovewood for mommy and cut my left knee very badly leaving a scare that I bear at the
present time September 24, 1890. Then my father bought a farm from a man named Abbot and
removed to it about 1860. Said farm being 1/8 mile northwest of the Miranda place now
owned by Warren Miranda and is the property and home of my mother known as the Coatney
place being situated 3 1/2 miles straight east of a little town in Washington County
called Little York and is!
the W 1/4 of the N 8 1/4 of sec 15 town range of Findlay Township Scott County State of
Indiana. My present home being on 40 acres 1/2 mile east between the lines which form the
northern and southern boundaries of my mothers place with the place formerly occupied by
Zephaniah and Marinda Spurgeon my mothers parents. Between them description of land now
occupied as my home to which I am the oldest of 4 lawful heirs. The same having been
bought by my father before his death caused by typhoid fever breathing his last at one
o'clock in the morning of August 6, 1871. He was buried at Zoah Cemetery about 1/2
acre of which is including the grave of my father, grandfather, and other relatives and
friends is on the northeast corner of the farm where I live described as follows. Section
14, town 3, range 6, acres 40, Vienna Township, Scott County Indiana.
Thomas Jefferson Coatney