قال الكاتب المجهول أن الصبي وُضع في عهدته وهو رضيع في 7 أكتوبر 1812 وقد علـّمه القراءة والكتابة والدين المسيحي، لكنه لم يسمح له قط "بقطع خطوة واحدة من بيتي".
The anonymous author said that the boy was given into his custody as an infant on 7 October 1812 and that he instructed him in reading, writing and the Christian religion, but never let him "take a single step out of my house".