"Jerome", alternatively known as "Jerome of Sandy Cove", was a man who was discovered on the shores of Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia, in 1863. Both of his legs had been amputated below the knee, and he spoke very little throughout his life in Nova Scotia. The name "Jerome" originated from the man mumbling something that sounded similar to it when asked for his name,
Case[]
On September 8, 1863, a young boy named Georgie Colin "Collie" Albright was walking on the beaches of Sandy Cove when he found a man lying in the sand. Upon discovery, Collie rushed to get aid to the man and brought him back to his home in the village of Digby Neck. Whilst he was being nursed back to health, villagers discovered that both of the man's legs had been amputated below the knee by a skilled surgeon and had only partially healed. Additionally, the man was suffering from complications as a result of being exposed to the cold.
As he was nursed back to health, many curious villagers visited the man and attempted to communicate with him. However, the man either did not know or refused to speak French, English, Latin, Italian, or Spanish. He ignored onlookers and habitually growled like a dog at visitors he did not appreciate. When asked for his name, he was noted to have mumbled something akin to "Jerome", thus resulting in the villagers referring to him as such. Additionally, he was noted to have hands that were too soft to belong to a laborer and looked like he originated from the Mediterranean.
When Collie's family began to struggle to have the necessary funds to feed themselves and Jerome, he was transferred from home to home until he was sent to the nearby French community of Meteghan after villagers believed he looked like a Catholic man. By this time, the government of Nova Scotia granted a stipend so Jerome could stay fed and cared for. Efforts to get Jerome to speak continued, and he was soon transferred to the home of a Corsican deserter named Jean Nicola to stay for seven years.
After the death of Nicola's wife, Nicola returned to Europe, and Jerome was transferred to the Comeau home in nearby Saint Alphonse de Clare. The Comeau family charged admission for people to see Jerome and made a fortune on his stay. However, Jerome did not seem bothered by the Comeaus treating him as an exhibit. He would stay with the Comeau family until his death on April 12, 1912.
Since his discovery, historians have suggested many theories about Jerome's origin. One theory believes that he had been a sailor who attempted a mutiny and was punished by amputation. Another believes he was an heir to a wealthy family and could not allow someone else to obtain the wealth. Jerome is thought to have possibly sustained a brain injury that rendered him incapable of understanding language but able to make animalistic noises. Historian Fraser Mooney Jr. believes that Jerome may have been a man named "Gamby" who fell through the ice in New Brunswick, Canada, and had his legs removed from sustaining gangrene after the accident. It is stated that Gamby was eventually put on a vessel and taken away by a captain who was paid to do so, but it is unconfirmed if the ship went to Sandy Cove.
Characteristics[]
- Described as having a Mediterranean appearance.
- "Well-shaped" head.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- Jerome on Wikipedia
- Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History