Thomas Disney - Knox County, KY

Thomas Disney (sometimes recorded as Dizney) was a patient at Eastern State Hospital from 1892 until his death in 1934. He was born in Knox County, Kentucky, around 1856. His early life was marked by a violent incident that led to his incarceration and subsequent transfer to the hospital.

Early Life

In 1887 Thomas Disney shot and fatally wounded Laurel County constable George Tetters at Sparks’ saloon in Lily after becoming intoxicated. During the altercation Disney fired a .44 revolver, striking Tetters in the chest; the bullet also grazed the saloon keeper’s wife before exiting through the door. Disney fled but was later captured, convicted of murder in Laurel County, and sentenced to life in the penitentiary. After nearly five years in prison, Disney was adjudged insane by County Judge Williams in Frankfort. Governor Brown granted him a pardon on the grounds of mental illness, and in 1892 he was transferred from the penitentiary to the Lexington asylum. Contemporary accounts described his condition as a religious mania, noting that for weeks he had been praying and preaching continuously. [Source]

Commitment

On 11 March 1892, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported Disney arrived at the hospital on the morning train. However, no admission records were found.

Death

Thomas died at Eastern State Hospital on 21 July 1934. His death certificate lists bacillary dysentery as the immediate cause of death, an infectious disease that was often fatal in institutional settings during this period. Chronic psychosis was noted as a contributing condition, reflecting his long-term confinement rather than the cause of death. Like many patients of the era, Thomas was vulnerable to outbreaks of infectious disease that spread rapidly in crowded hospitals before the advent of effective treatments.

Burial arrangements were handled by Eastern State Hospital, and he was interred in the hospital cemetery.

Notes:

FamilySearch Profile: KPWP-T9B

An admission record for a Thomas Disney (patient #11949) exists but may refer to a different individual. That individual was a was 27 years old, married, and working as a farmer at the time of his admission. His diagnosis was listed as epileptic psychosis, with epilepsy noted as the underlying condition. The record states a duration of illness of approximately 13 years, suggesting that he had experienced seizures or related symptoms since adolescence.

Documentation

Death certificate #16428