Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-02-21
THE BLIND TWADDLES.
AN OHIO FAMILY OF NINE, NONE
OF WHOM COULD SEE.

Their Remarkable Powers, Which Attracted
| the Attention of Scientific Men Seventy
Years Ago-The Death of the Last One
Brings Out the Story.
eBlind Andrew Twaddle" remained
seated in his pew after the benediction,
and his friends and neighbors passed
down the aisles. With calm smile
upon his aged face, his large eyes sight
less no more now than they had been
during the three score years and four of
his life, and turned toward the rude pull
pit, he sat quiet and still in death.
"The Blind Twaddles," as they were
known in this neighborhood, was one of
the most remarkable families of this
state, and perhaps of the United States,
and this was the last one left. Sixty or
seventy years ago this family attracted
almost universal attention from physi-
clans and scientific men generally
throughout the civilized world The
parents, who have long years ago gone
over to the majority, had nothing out of
the common to distinguish them from
their neighhors.
But there were born to them q large
family of children, nine in all, and of
these the first seven were born entirely
blind and the last two had but partial
eyesight. Scientific man were utterly
at loss to account for this phenomenon.
The father and mother had excellent
eyesight, and the eyes of their children
were large brown and bright, but sight
less. They were without optic nerves.
In all other respects they were bright,
healthy and intelligent children. The
scientific journals and newspapers of
that day had long accounts and various
theories regarding this, but why it should
have been so is yet a mystery.
The state of Ohio by a special act of
its legislature. decided to the parents for
the support of their children quarter of
a section (160 acres) of the best of the ag-
ricultural lands of eastern Ohio, and the
farm is known to this day as the "Blind
Twaddles section" Upon this farm the
young men and women-there were
seven boys and two girls-grew up i'll
total darkness, became useful citizens,
married and settled in the surrounding
community, and reared families in which
no trace of blindness is shown. The
blind people all lived the prophets allot-
ment of threescore and ten. They were
fine looking family, and when it is con-
sidered that these people, who were born
blind and lived out their long and useful
lives in total darkness, became success
full farmers, millers, distillers, etc., it
must be conceded that they were re-
markable in more senses than that of be-
ing blind.
They were as able to go to any place
upon their farms or to surrounding
towns and perform all their necessary
farm work without attendance or help,
as if they had perfect eyesight. They
cut timber in the woods, made rails,
built fences, plowed their lands, sowed
and harvested their crops, ran their grist
mill and distillery, worked oxen and
horses, and in fact, learned all of that
by intuition which is supposed impossi-
BILE for people without sight. Many are
the queer stories rccited by old residents
of Lee, London and Fox townships re-
garding feats performed by this family.
Their lands We're intersected by numer-
Gus deep creeks, which were crossed by
foot logs, and these people would go un-
hesitatingly anywhere along these farm
paths, crossing the precarious foot
bridges and treading the most intricate
ways unerringly.
They could name any tree in the for
ests by feeling of the bark, select the
best ones fer any designed purpose, and
"fell' them in the most convenient man
ner for working. Out of such timber
they would make rails and build fences
when they desired, having them better
and straighter than many farmers with
eyes. They could take to pieces, repair
and place again in working order any
kind of machinery with which they
were called upon to be familiar, and two
of them successfully conducted -four
ing mill for the farmers of the vicinity
for years.
But perhaps the most remarkable as
well as the best authenticated of their
dSl lul4tlu'uta Nd5 llle power Ol leHlNB
the colors OF animals by touch. They
were all great lovers of horses, and by
placing their hands upon the coat of a
horse they would instantly tell its color,
and by feeling its head tell to which sex
it belonged. They were excellent Judges
of horses, and by few slight touches
here and there, and hearing it walk or
trot, would pronounce an infallible opin-
ion as to its merits.
A good many years ago one of the
"Blind Twaddles" came to this country
town on some business. At that time a
famous hostelry was kept here by James
Patton, yet resident, and Twaddles
stopped and quartered himself and horse
at his tavern. His presence at the hotel
gave rise to a discussion of his wonder
full powers regarding horses, and it was
agreed among some Of the parties to test
it. The landlord had a splendid sorrel
team. of which one, however, was a good
deal better than the other When Mr..
Twaddle, who was riding brown mare.
called for his horse, the stableman placed
the trappings upon one of the sorrels and
led it forth AS Twaddle put his hand
upon the animals neck preparatory to
vno,,p4ipa- Ia ctpnpa1 nd coiJ.