Part 8, Note 11

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Colorado County Deed Records, Book Deed S, p. 245; Colorado Citizen, January 28, 1875, May 20, 1875, September 23, 1875, November 18, 1875, March 2, 1876, March 23, 1876, June 8, 1876, June 22, 1876, November 2, 1876, February 1, 1877, February 15, 1877, March 22, 1877, May 10, 1877. The man who was known as Blind Tom, Thomas Green Bethune, was born a slave in 1849. Blind and of severely limited intelligence, he became celebrated for his ability to play, on the piano, music he had heard, and toured the United States and Europe demonstrating his ability. Tom Thumb's real name was Charles Sherwood Stratton. In his early adult years, he is said to have been little more than two feet tall and to have weighed about fifteen pounds. He was given his stage name by his original promoter, the highly successful entertainment entrepreneur Phineas T. Barnum.