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Gallaudet, Thomas Hopkins

ID
1102
Nationality
American
Occupation
Evangelistic minister
Clergy (Evangelistic)
Religion
Teacher
School founder
Summary
Hearing. Born at Philadelphia, PA; graduated Yale College in 1805 and settled in Hartford, CT. Moved by the plight of Alice Cogswell (q.v.), an uneducated young deaf neighbor, he tried and was successful in teaching her a few English words. Asked by Hartford community leaders to found a school for the deaf, he went to Europe to study methods of deaf education and brought back the French method as well as a French deaf teacher of the deaf, Laurent Clerc (q.v.). Founded and served as principal/teacher of what is now the American School for the Deaf, 1817-30. Married one of his pupils, Sophia Fowler (q.v.). Eight children, all hearing; those involved in work with the deaf were educator Edward Miner Gallaudet (q.v.) and teacher/priest Thomas Gallaudet (no middle name, q.v.). After retiring from deaf education, wrote several religious books. Active in various educational and philanthropic endeavors; died at Hartford, CT. Gallaudet University in Washington, DC is named for him, and a statue of him with Alice Cogswell stands at the front of the campus. Another memorial sculpture is in Hartford.
References
Gallaudet Encyclopedia, vol.1 p.444-447; ABC-Clio companion, p.132-133; American National Biography, vol.8 p.645-646; Deaf History Unveiled, p.53-73; Deaf Heritage in Canada, p.17-18; Encyclopedia of Special Education, vol.2, p.696; Dictionary of American Biography, vol.4, p.111; Gallaudet Almanac, p.237-238.
Dates
10 December 1787-10 September 1851

O'Kelly, Roger Demosthenes

ID
2099
Nationality
American
Afro-American/Black
Occupation
Lawyer
Attorney
Law
Summary
Born at Raleigh, NC; at age 9, became blind from scarlet fever; about a year later, he slowly regained his vision in one eye but then began losing his hearing, which took about another year to become total. Attended the North Carolina School for Colored Deaf and Blind. Worked a few years as a stable hand, then studied at and graduated Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) with a B.L. degree. Licensed to practice law in North Carolina, 1908. In 1910, worked as a laborer on a tunnel-drilling project in New York. He then studied law at Yale University 1910-1912, becoming only the second deaf person, of any race, to graduate from Yale University. During his 1911 summer break, labored on another tunnel-digging project in New York City, then after finishing Yale worked on another tunnel project in Montreal, Canada. Taught at the Raleigh school for deaf blacks 1918-1919. Had a private law practice in Raleigh beginning 1920, working chiefly in domestic relations, real estate transactions, incorporations, and preparing title abstracts.
References
Silent Worker, v.39 no.6, March 1927, p.169-174; Notable Deaf Persons, p.110.
Dates
1880-?

Wildbank, Charles Bourke

ID
3281
Nationality
American
Occupation
Painter
Teacher
Artist
Summary
Born deaf at Long Island, NY as Charles Bourke; he later added Wildbank from the name of his family's estate. Attended the Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf 1950-1955, then mainstreamed. Attended the Yale University School of Music and Art and earned a BFA degree from the Pratt Institute, then an MA degree from Teacher's College at Columbia University. Taught deaf children briefly, but after 3 years returned to art full-time.
References
Deaf Artists in America, p.272-277.
Dates
30 December 1948-

Barnard, Frederick Augustus Porter

ID
0186
Nationality
American
Occupation
Teacher
Educational administrator
Summary
Hard of hearing; born in Sheffield, Massachusetts; graduated from Yale in 1828; taught at the American Institution for the Deaf, the University of Alabama, and the University of Mississippi; president of the University of Mississippi, 1856-61; president and chancellor of Columbia University, 1864-89. Barnard College is named for him.
References
Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences, p.26-29; Dictionary of American Biography, vol.1, p.619-21; American National Biography, vol.2 p.173-175; Silence of the Spheres, p.27-28.
Dates
5 May 1809-27 April 1889

Peet, Isaac Lewis

ID
2160
Nationality
American
Occupation
Teacher
Educational administrator
Summary
Hearing. Son of Harvey Prindle Peet [I], born at Hartford, CT. Graduated Yale (1845); married Mary Toles in 1854; teacher, vice-principal, principal (1867-1892), and principal emeritus at the New York School for the deaf, 1845-1898. Wrote two books for use in deaf education and many articles for the American Annals of the Deaf. Honorary degree from Columbia College (1872). Attended the 1880 Congress of Milan as an American delegate. Died at New York City.
References
Biographical Dictionary of American Educators, v.2 p.1015; Gallaudet Almanac, p.242; CAID Proceedings, 16th, p.327-329.
Dates
4 December 1824-27 December 1898

Yale, Caroline Ardelia

ID
3070
Nationality
American
Occupation
Teacher
Educational administrator
Summary
Hearing. Associated with the Clarke School for the deaf as a teacher and principal; co-founder, with Alexander Graham Bell and others, of the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf (now the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf). Autobiography, Years of building (1931).
References
Encyclopedia of Special Education, vol.3, p.1687; CAID Proceedings, 28th, 1933, p.132.
Dates
29 September 1848-2 July 1933

Porter, Samuel

ID
2231
Nationality
American
Occupation
Teacher
Author
Editor
Summary
Deafened in his early 20s; graduated Yale, 1829 (the first deaf person to do so). Teacher at the American School for the deaf, 1832-1837 and again 1847-1860, in between at the New York School for the deaf; teacher at the Columbia Institute for the Deaf (Gallaudet College) 1866-1883. Author of many articles and books; editor of the American Annals of the Deaf. After his retirement, he lived on Kendall Green until 1901, then returned to Farmington, CT, where he died.
References
Gallaudet Almanac, p.242-243; CAID Proceedings, 17th, p.188-189; American Annals of the Deaf, Nov. 1901.
Dates
12 January 1810-3 September 1901

Moore, Gideon E.

ID
1991
Nationality
American
Occupation
Chemist
Scientist
Summary
First deaf American to earn a Ph.D. degree. Born at Philadelphia; graduated Yale University in 1861; Ph.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Heidelberg, 1869. After some years as an assayer in the western states, established a chemical laboratory in New York City. Brother of Henry Humphrey Moore (q.v.).
References
Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences, p.261-262; Notable Deaf Persons, p.35-37; Silence of the Spheres, p.28-29; The Frat, Jan. 1939, p.3.
Dates
1842-13 April 1895

Syle, Henry Winter

ID
2719
Nationality
American
Occupation
Episcopal priest
Clergy (Episcopal)
Religion
School founder
Summary
Born at Shanghai, China; deafened at age 6 by scarlet fever; attended Trinity College, Hartford, CT 1863-1865; St. John's College, Cambridge, 1867; B.A. and M.A. (1872) from Yale University; M.A. (1875) from Trinity College. Teacher at the New York School for the Deaf, White Plains, 1869-1874; ordained an Episcopal minister on Oct. 8, 1876 in Philadelphia; was pastor of All Soul's Church. Instrumental in the founding of the New York Evening School for the deaf.
References
Notable Deaf Persons, p.110-113; American Annals of the Deaf, vol.35, p.89-97; Gallaudet Almanac, p.243; The Frat, March 1942, p.4.
Dates
9 November 1846-6 January 1890

Ely, Charles Russell

ID
0943
Nationality
American
Occupation
Teacher
Educational administrator
Summary
Hearing. B.A., 1891, and M.A., 1897, from Yale; M.A., 1892, from Gallaudet; Ph.D., 1900, from George Washington University. Teacher, eventually professor, at Gallaudet College, 1892-1912, 1913-1939; Gallaudet vice-president, 1920-1939. Principal at the Maryland School for the Deaf, 1912-1913. The student center building at Gallaudet University is named for him.
References
Gallaudet Almanac, p.233; CAID Proceedings, 31st, p.349.
Dates
20 February 1870-22 February 1939