The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-12
THE MOTHER OF BLIND TOM.
Her Idea of Her Poor, Ignorant Sons
Natural Musical Abilities.

Columbus (Ga.) Enquirer-Sun.
The mother of Blind Tom, the celebrated
musical prodigy. is passing her declining
years in Columbus, and has been here
quite a number of years since the return
from her famous Northern tour.
Aunt Charity" Virgins, as she is
known lives at a humble home on Twenty
seventh street, Rose Hill. half way be-
tween Hamilton and Talbottom avenues.
She makes the home with one of her
daughters, and the entire family resides in
a three-room house. She has a little as
sistance occasionally from the manager OF
Blind Tom. She does not require much
money, as her wants are simple. 1t is an
interesting fact that of the many thou
sands of dollars made through the genius
of her blind son, she has received COM
paratively small amount. Recently she re-
ceived sl5 and while this amount was
small, it was very much appreciated by
the humble household.
So little appears in the papers about
Blind Tom that many persons believe that
he Is dead. He is not only living. how
ever, but is in good health Blind Tom is
in New York city. His manager. is Mrs
Z. Ess, German lady, who has been in
this country a number of years. She has
entire charge, 1T seems, of his manage
ment and finances. "A letter received from
Mrs. Ess recently stated that Tom was
well.
An Enquirer-Sun reporter recently had an
interesting talk with AUNT Charity. In
her general appearance she is a typical
front porch gently rocking herself, plying
her fan in a rather dignified matter Pc
culfar to many old colored women, she
seemed a typical representative of a class
tional turban, affected by the older cOlored
folks, was around her head and she wore
a neat. inexpensive dress. Aunt Charity Is
eighty-five years old. She is still healthy
anG has command of her faculties. She
has a little smattering OF education and
can write. She has travelled enough to
give her a certain staid dignity that i'm
presses her visitor.
They stole him from he'' she said with
some little feeling. When i was in New
York / signed away my rights. They
won't let Thomas come to see me, and i
am not allowed to see him."
Although he is a middle-aged man, Aunt
Charity still refers 10 her son as Thomas.
She always will. To her he is but a child.
She says that she does not remember ex-
actly how old he Is, but supposes he is
forty-five or fifty years old. AS a matter
of fact, in a good many things Blind Tom
Is merely child. Nature, in endoWing MIN
with such remarkable musical talent, de-
MED him many of the things usually grant
ed TO the ordinary mortal. Tom is simple
minded.
To Aunt Charity, Blind Tom represents
the perfection of all genius, one of the
greatest musical prodigies, and she will sit
and talk by the hour about her son. She
is an interesting character for other rea-
sons than that she gave birth to Blind
Tom, for she is the mother of twenty chill
cren. Quite a number OF these have died.
When questioned as to their names she
counted them slowly of on her fingers
but her aged mind was unable to recall all
the names at the moment. Some of them
died in slavery times she said, and others
died while she was in New York with Blind
Tom.
Blind Tom, rude, outlandish, queer ig-
norant negro, with no education, is noted
as one OF the musical prodigies of the age
| He has given concerts all over the ooun-
| try. He can play any tune that he has ever
| heard. and his memory is wonderful The
| musical career OF Blind Tom began when
| he a year old. when he crawled into
| played the piano, to the utter amazement
/ OF everybody.
tom was born blind" said his aged
mother, with that precision and dignity
| that sometimes denotes the ante-helum
| negro. he was just like any other baby
| at first. He never could see, although once
| ir New York held glass of milk before
| his eyes and he declared that ne saw some-
| thing black i'm his milk.
"One day, at General Bethuncs place.
| where we were then living Thomas, who
] was then a year old, crawled into the par
| Tor while everybody was at dinner and
| went to the piano. He stood up before the
| plano and began 10 play. The people at
| dinner heard him. but they thought II was
some company in the parlor and didn't pay