Thomas Jefferson Truitt
Truitt Short Stories
By Faye Collum Fairley
Redden Truitt and Sarah Elizabeth Moore started their family in 1847. By 1858, they were parents of four children, three boys and a girl. The youngest of these children, Thomas Jefferson (TJ) is the subject of my story.
Thomas Jefferson Truitt, (T J), was born in 1858. His days were normal in that time period. He was the baby, and therefore enjoyed the attention that position afforded him. He enjoyed the daily laughter and playing games, but unfortunately, his days were also filled with much dread and fear. Talk of the civil war was already spreading throughout the nation, and the impending battle between the states was a typical subject in most households. By the time the war had begun, the father of these four children joined the union army, and was part of the 7th Regiment, Kentucky Infantry. His enlistment date was August 19, 1861. I did not locate the date of his release. We do know that he was not killed in the war, because we have evidence that he died in 1886. The fear and concern felt by this family had to be surreal. Sarah was alone with a twelve year old girl, and three boys aged ten, eight and little bright eyed TJ was only three.
The cost of living was minuscule compared to today’s standards, but the income of that day was almost nonexistent. There were no jobs available which were not somehow affected by the war. The Union privates received a small salary of $13 per month. Of course they didn’t get this money as regular payments are done today. The families back home had to struggle just to feed themselves. For less than one dollar, a person could buy a pound of butter, a pound of coffee, a pound of rice, a pound of corn meal, and a dozen eggs. That dollar, however, was very difficult to earn.
It was possibly those difficult days of sacrifice that urged TJ to seek a good life for himself. He began studying avidly, and was determined to become a doctor. He fell in love and married Jane Rader. At the time of the marriage, she was twenty six, and he was nineteen. They married in January of 1877, and on Christmas day, they were blessed with a handsome baby boy. After the baby was born, I am quite certain that TJ spent most of his time studying, and working toward his goal of becoming a doctor. It would only be speculation to say where he attended medical college, but I assert that he probably did have to leave home for a period of time.
Life was hard for this young couple, but they faced their adversities, and soon TJ’s hard work paid off. He had earned his title as Doctor in Jackson, Kentucky.
There is no way of knowing how many patients he had to care for, but considering that in the late 1800’s, the number of doctors could not have been high. For that reason, I speculate that he might have been the only physician in the entire county.
One cold September morning, a body was found by the roadside in Breathitt County Kentucky. The following statement was issued explaining his death.
“Thomas Jefferson Truitt, a physician of Jackson, Breathitt County, Kentucky, started to see a patient but became drunk on the road, fell from his horse and died alone on the roadside.”
This statement might have been sufficient to the folks who were not influenced by DNA, eye witnesses, definitive proof, and a locked in verdict from 12 honest jurors before accepting such an affirmation.
Get Faye Collum Fairley’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
In today’s world, however, this statement would be dissected by the authorities in law enforcement from the highest office of Commandant to the part-time security guard at the local dog park. The questions would be unending, and no doubt unanswered.
By considering the absolute facts, we know that the man was thirty one years old. We know that he was a physician. Knowing that he had become a physician by such an early age, I concede that this man was very intelligent. We know that he was quite skilled on horseback, because that was the most common method of transportation in 1889. TJ was born and raised here, so he was very familiar with the terrain. Since someone informed that he was going to see a patient, we know that he had at least one patient to care for.
We also know that in 1889, Breathitt county Kentucky consisted of 495 square miles. Within the perimeter of those miles, were 8,705 citizens in 1889. By mathematical measures, this would be equivalent to about 18 people per square mile. Beginning in April of 1889, the famous Oklahoma Land Rush began. The former Indian owned lands were being awarded to settlers who would live on the land, and improve it. Approximately 50,000 people lined up to reap the rewards. We can only assume that part of these numbers could have been from Kentucky. By this calculation, we might project that there were several miles between the residences.
These miles would have been somewhat treacherous in 1889, because Jackson, Kentucky is located on the Cumberland Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains. Horseback travel would be challenging to the most proficient of riders, but a tired, sleep deprived doctor out on house calls would be very much at risk of having an accident on the treacherous terrain.
We also confirmed by research, that doctors of that era only carried the bare necessities with them while attending the patients, to make the traveling as light as possible. Another fact of that time period is that in September, throughout the mountainous regions, the temperature drops quite rapidly. Those who traveled horseback in that era were fully aware of the cold weather and the treacherous roads. Common sense tells us that during that time, most people carried a flask of whiskey with them. This was not necessarily for drinking. Often times, it was to sterilize a knife for surgery on the trail. It also could be used as antiseptic on a wound. For this reason, I speculate that in most saddlebags in that time period, one would find a flask or bottle of “spirits”. This tells me that most likely; there was a flask of whiskey in his saddlebag.
I am not, nor have I ever been, a drinker of alcohol. I have, on occasion, been a witness to habitual drinkers. If a person is accustomed to drinking, it takes far more than a single flask of whiskey to leave one inebriated to the point of total drunkenness. For this reason, I am questioning the statement that he “became drunk”.
I also draw attention to the fact that he “fell from his horse”. If my research is correct, the horseback rider typically has his feet in the stirrups. If he should fall from his horse in an inebriated condition, would he have the wherewithal to withdraw his feet from the stirrups?
Another excerpt from the statement is “died alone on the roadside”. This is an indication that there were no witnesses. If there were no witnesses, how does anyone know that he was inebriated? How could they know that he fell from his horse? How do they know he died alone?
This man studied hard, and became a doctor. He apparently helped many sick patients in his short life. With what he offered to society, why then would we diminish his purpose in life with such a statement?
If it were possible, I would have the statement retracted, and in its place, I would submit a new statement concerning the death of my 6th cousin 4 times removed:
“In September of 1889, the body of Thomas Jefferson Truitt, a physician of Jackson, Kentucky, was found on the side of the road. Thirty one year old Truitt had been on his way to care for a patient. When he didn’t arrive, a search ensued. His body was found alone on the roadside. Dr. Truitt leaves a wife and a twelve year old son; no evidence indicates the cause of his death.”
Rest in peace Thomas Jefferson Truitt 1858–1889…… You made a difference!
The End
