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First deaf woman to climb Mt. McKinley (Denali), June 13, 1991, and Mt. Elbrus (in Russia), 1992. Aimed to climb the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Graduate of Gallaudet University; resident of Long Beach, CA.

Born at Plymouth, MA; rescued from his impoverished and alcoholic parents by his grandparents who raised him; deafened at age 13 by a near-fatal fall from a ladder. Initially trained as a shoemaker, then as a dentist, but turned to missionary work and writing. Missionary in Malta for a year, then had further frightening adventures in Russia and Baghdad. Returned to England and married in 1833. Author of many theological books, especially in Biblical studies. Possibly the first deaf person to receive an honorary doctorate (in divinity, 1844, from the University of Giessen). Poor health prompted him to move to Germany in 1854 in search of a healthier climate, but he died after less than 3 months at Cannstatt, Germany, and was buried there.

Born deaf; illegitimate son of Alexander I, prince of Russia, and Maria Antonovna Naryshkina, princess of Poland.

Deaf in one ear. His illegitimate son, Alexander Machwitz (q.v.), was born deaf in both ears.

Born at Yanoschina, Poltava, Russia; emigrated to Manitoba, Canada in 1906. Bachelor's degree (1929), honorary M.A. (1950), and honorary LL.D. (1957) from Gallaudet College. Medal of Honour (1971) from the British Deaf Association; was associated with and held positions with the Western Canadian Association of the Deaf, the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf, the (U.S.) National Association of the Deaf, and the Gallaudet College/University Alumni Association. Married Pauline Nathanson Peikoff (q.v.) in 1932. The Peikoff Alumni House on the Gallaudet University campus is named in his and her honor.

Considered one of the three great early pioneers of rocketry and space travel (with the American Robert Goddard and the German Hermann Oberth). Born at and lived in Kaluga, Russia; deafened by scarlet fever at age 10 or 12. Experimented with and wrote about rockets and space travel, winning renown and respect in the Soviet Union in the years before his death. A prominent crater on the Moon's far side is named in his honor. His surname is sometimes also transliterated from Russian as Tsiolkovski or Ziolkovsky.

Born in the Jewish shtetl of Delinkas in Russia; deafened at 10 months from a high fever, which also left his older sister Lillian hard of hearing. Both very briefly attended a nearby crude school for the deaf, but were pulled out. The turmoil of the Russian Revolution prompted the family to emigrate, first stopping over in Warsaw, Poland in 1920 and then to America in 1921. They settled in Fond du Lac, WI. Abe and Lillian both started in regular public schools, but Abe transferred at age 14 to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, leaving there at age 21 with a vocational training in shoe repair. Married Hilda Nathenson in 1934. Established his own shoe repair shop in Madison,WI, and ran it continuously for 50 years right up to his death. Biography by two of his children, Harvey L. Barash and Eva Barash Dicker, is Our Father Abe (1991).

Hearing. Not to be confused with Marie Fedorovna, 1847-1928 (q.v.) Born Sophie-Dorothea Augusta Luise von Wuerttemburg and married Grand Prince Paul of Russia (later Czar Paul I). One of her sons, Alexander I, was deaf in one ear; an illegitimate son of Alexander I, Alexander Machwitz (q.v.), was in turn born deaf in both ears. Her interest and work towards the reform and expansion of education in Russia included the founding of Russia's first school for the deaf, the Pavlovsk Experimental School for the Deaf-Mute near St. Petersburg (1806); this was sparked by a chance meeting with a deaf boy, Alexander Meller. She continued to provide patronage and financial support to the school for the rest of her life, including a large bequest in her will.