Source: The Marlboro Democrat (Bennettsville, South Carolina), July 20, 1887

------

In the year 1887, it was reported that a certain man from Potsdam, New York had recently passed away, leaving a legacy that was nothing short of amazing. The man, who remained unnamed in the original article, was celebrated for his incredible self-sufficiency despite having both of his arms amputated at the shoulder after an accident. Rather than letting his disability define him, he adapted, earning a living by using his feet and mouth to accomplish tasks. 

His ability to live independently was truly astonishing. He owned a horse that he cared for entirely on his own. He would harness the animal and unfasten the buckles using only his teeth. Once ready to go, he drove by tying the reins around his shoulders. When he needed a new wagon, he didn't buy one ready-made; instead, he purchased the wheels and axles and then constructed and painted a new buggy from scratch. 

His resourcefulness extended far beyond transportation. He once built a cow stable during the winter by sawing timber with his feet, then holding a hammer in one foot and a nail in the other to secure the boards. He dug and stoned a twelve-foot-deep well, mowed hay by holding a fork under his chin, and could pick up potatoes in a field as fast as others could dig them up. He also dressed himself, prepared his own meals, and wrote letters, proving he could do almost anything an able-bodied person could do. 

The article contrasted his tenacity with the many people who lament their circumstances despite having no physical impairments. The writer compared him to a hero from the Crimean War, who, after losing his legs, wrote to his fiancée to release her from their engagement. Her response, a testament to his character, was, "I will marry you if you have enough body remaining to contain your noble soul." 

For the man from Potsdam, a hero who's name we do not know, it is abundantly clear that the body he had remaining was more than enough to contain one of the noblest souls of his, or any, generation. He built a life of independence and dignity all without the use of his arms or hands.