Mary, countess of Orkney

Either born deaf, or deaf from an early age. Used signs in her 1753 wedding to her hearing first cousin, Murrough, first Marquis of Thomond. An anecdote is told that, after the birth of Mary's first child, the nurse saw Mary creep up to the crib and raise a stone to throw it down. Fearing that Mary intended to harm the baby, the nurse was relieved when Mary threw the stone on the floor instead, waking the baby. This filled Mary with joy, since she now knew her baby did not share her "affliction".