Chapter 3:
Origins of thee American Deaf-World
Assimilating and Differentiating Societies and Their Relation to Genetic Patterning
Chelsee Patterson
April 14th, 2021
Chilmark,
Massachusetts
Henniker,
New Hampshire:
1st
First great American Deaf leader, Thomas Brown 1804-1886
Henniker,
New Hampshire:
2nd
Thomas Brown's later events would reveal he likely had a political agenda that went beyond gratitude and sought to counteract the inherent diaspora of Deaf people by gatherings that could also serve as a basis for improving their lot.
$600 raised.
Fearing debtor's prison Thomas Brown Sr. set to Henniker ("Fiat money")
Nahum Brown
Died @ 87
(aka plucky; Thomas Brown Sr.'s son) skillful axeman, hunter, model farmers, first rate teamster of oxen and horses
Never learned to read or write, communicated in pantomime or 'natural sign'
2 Deaf children, Persis & Thomas; 9 grandchildren 5 deaf
Gradually become blind and helpless
New England Gallaudet Association of Deaf Mutes
Persis was bound by a marriage contract to hearing carpenter, Bela Mitchell Swett, was not free to go
Deaf people district group was part American Asylum in 1820s
Deaf community of Martha's Vineyard
Largest single source of pupils at American Asylum
Mayhew, Tilton, Skiffe families
Groce identified 72 Deaf:
63 trace ancestry to James Skiffe,
32 Samuel Tilton,
9 to Jonathan Lamert
Deaf islands heritage originated in the Weald and arrived on the island with thee colonizing families.
Drawn to Vineyard: availability oof farmland, growing seasons, sees, abounded lobster / fish
Indians friendly, taught islanders catch whales
Population: 1700- 400 people; stopped 1800-3,000 people
Groce estimates 1/155 people on Vineyard born Deaf
Mainland: 20% Deaf peoples marriages were to hearing people
Vineyard: = 65%
Language may have originally been BSL brought over by colonizers
BSL signer identifies 40% BSL signs; only 22% ASL / BSL overlap
"Village first" assimilative societies
200 pupils gather @ American Asylum for Gallaudet
engraved silver pitcher; rich in symbolism and deaf history
January 4, 1854, Deaf representatives from New England states gathered at Brown House in Heenniker for a week to Fram a constitution for the New England Gallaudet Association
Deaf artist Albeert Newsam designed monument;
Deaf sculptor John Carlin created panels
"Henniker Constitution"; Thomas Brown is president
Second biennial meeting NEGA in Concord, New Hampshire 1856
Job Turner, dubbed Thomas Brown "the mute Cincinnatus of Americans"
1860 William Chamberlain Gallaudet Guide and Deaf Mutes' Companion; earliest periodicals printed exclusively for Deaf readers.
Sandy River Valley, Maine
First settlers from Vineyard went
to Sandy River Valley
Other Vineyarders followed, creating
New Vineyard, New Sharon,
New Gloucester & 27 others
Sebec of Lovejoys;
Jacks and Jellisons in Monroe;
Browns, Jellisons, Staples in Belfast
Beerrys in Chesterville
Sophia Curtis:
had 5 hearing siblings; four Deaf
Henniker,
New Hampshire:
3rd
1874: Brown took presidency of Clerc Monument Association, founded Granite State Deaf-Mute Mission (president)
William B. Swett:
Promoted Deaf welfare.
Published Deaf-Mute Friend
Director of Deaf-Mute Library Association
Founded (today aka) Beverly School for the Deaf
Assimilative /
Differentiating
Societies
Ritual-like rehearsal; meetings testify that Brown and associates saw Deaf community as distinct group;
Language and way of life that should be fostered.
Tisbury / Chilmark during same era - no leader, organization, gatherings, banquets, ceremony, monuments;
Class consciousness
Hypothesis: heavily influenced by genetic difference
Austrian botanist Gregor Mendel "Laws of Heredity"
Identified 2 main patterns of genetic transmission = dominant / recessive
Brown family of Hennikeer = dominant pattern of inheritance
Mayhew, Tilton, Lambert, Skiffee families of Martha's Vineyard, who intermarried both before and after arriving on island = recessive pattern of inheritance
Desa Kolok "Deaf Village" (not official);
genetic pattern = recessive as on Vineyard
16 families