Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/611

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GALLAUDET
GALLAUDET
679

upon the escutcheon of the United States,” and he published “Peace with Mexico” (1847) and “War Expenses” (1848), pamphlets of which 150,000 were gratuitously circulated, and which had undoubted influence in bringing about peace. In 1846, when Lord Ashburton visited the United States in connection with the treaty which bears his name, Mr. Gallatin published a pamphlet on the “Oregon Question,” which was distinguished by impartiality, moderation, and power of reasoning. It put before the people, as well as the negotiators, the precise merits of the controversy, and powerfully contributed to the ultimate peaceful settlement. In 1842 he was associated in the establishment of the American ethnological society, becoming its first president, and in 1843 he was elected to hold a similar office in the New York historical society, an honor which was annually conferred on him until his death. His scientific publications include “Synopsis of the Indian Tribes within the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and in the British and Russian Possessions in North America” (Cambridge, 1836) and “Notes on the Semi-Civilized Nations of Mexico, Yucatan, and Central America, with Conjectures on the Origin of Semi-Civilization in America” (New York, 1845). John Austin Stevens says of him: “To a higher degree than any American, native or foreign born, unless Franklin, with whose broad nature he had many traits in common, Albert Gallatin deserves the proud title, aimed at by many, reached by few, of Citizen of the World.” See “Writings of Albert Gallatin,” by Henry Adams (3 vols., Philadelphia, 1879); “Life of Albert Gallatin,” by Henry Adams (1879); and “Albert Gallatin,” by John Austin Stevens, in “American Statesman Series” (Boston, 1883).


GALLAUDET, Thomas Hopkins, educator, b. in Philadelphia, 10 Dec, 1787; d. in Hartford, Conn., 9 Sept., 1851. His family was of Huguenot origin. At an early age he moved with his par- ents to Hartford, Conn. He was graduated at Yale in 1S05, and after hesitating for some time as to whether he should study law, engage in trade, or study divinity, entered the Theological seminai-y at Andover in 1811. He was licensed to preach in 1814. His attention having been called to the neg- lected condition of the deaf and dumb m this country, he went to Europe in 1815, visiting in suc- cession London, Edinburgh, and Paris. The work which had been begun in France in 1760, by De I'Epee, was successfully carried on by the Abbe Sicard ; and that which had been begun near Ed- inburgh, at an earlier date, by Thomas Braidwood, and later transferred to London, was imder the charge of Dr. Joseph Watson, a nephew of Braid- wood. Gallaudet made himself familiar with the methods in use at both establishments, and, return- ing to the United States in 1816, he brought with him as assistant Laurent Clerc, a deaf-mute, and pupil of Sicard. In the following year, his ar- rangements having been completed, he began work in Hartford, Conn., with seven pupils. His school soon became a prosperous asylum, and its founder, amid much encouragement, remained in charge as president until 1830, when he resigned on ac- count of ill health. He continued, however, to take an active part in the management of the institu- tion, as one of its directors, and to give it the benefit of his wisdom and experience. In 1838 he became chaplain of the retreat for the insane at Hartford, Conn., which office he retained till his death. During his lifetime he published extensive- ly. Among his works are " Sermons Preached to un English Congregation in Paris" (London, 1818); " Bible Stories for the Young " ; " Child's Book of the Soul " (3d ed., 1850) ; " Youth's Book of Natu- ral Theology," and other similar works. He also was a contributor to the "Annals oi: the Deaf and Dumb " (Hartford). A biography of Gal- laudet was published by Henuui Humphrey, D. D. (New York, 1858). — His wife, Sophia Fowler, b. in Guilford, Conn., in 1798 ; d. in Washington, D. C, 13 May, 1877, was one of Mr. Gallaudefs deaf-mute pupils. She gave hearty aid both to her husband and to her son, Edward M. Gal- laudet, in the schools of which they respectively had charge. — Their son, Tlioiiias, clergyman, b. in Hartford. Conn., 3 June, 1822, was graduated at Trinity college in 1842. He taught in the New York institution for deaf-mutes from 1843 till 1858, and in the mean time took orders in the Protestant Episcopal church, being ordained dea- con in June, 1850, and priest in June, 1851. He founded St. Ann's church for deaf-mutes in Octo- ber, 1852, and in 1859 a church and rectory were secured in Eighteenth street, near Fifth avenue. In addition to his many other duties, Gallaiulet accepted the pastorate of the Sisterhood of the Good Shepherd in April, 1869, and the chaplain- cy of the " midnight mission " in November, 1871. In October, 1872, " The Church Mission to Deaf- Mutes" was incorporated, and he was appointed its general manager. In this capacity he has been the pioneer of church work among deaf-mutes throughout the countiy, and institutions similar to St. Ann's have grown up in Philadelphia, Balti- more, Albany, Boston, and other cities. He has at- tended all the conventions of teachers of deaf- mutes held in this country, and was present at the convention held at Milan in September, 1880, and at that held in Brussels in August, 1883. In the summer of 1886 he visited California in the inter- est of deaf-mutes. In December, 1885, he founded the " Gallaudet Home for Deaf-Mutes," on a farm on the Hudson river, between New Hamburg and Poughkeepsie, especially intended for the aged and infirm. He resigned the chaplaincy of the mid- night mission in 1874, but continues to hold his other offices (1887). Trinity gave him the degree of D. D. in 1862, and he has been a trustee of tiiat college since 1883. He has prepared from the first the annual reports of the "Church Mission," and has been a contributor to the "American Annals of the Deaf and Dumb," and other periodicals. —Another son, Edward Miner, educator, b. in Hartford, Conn., 5 Feb., 1837, was educated at Trinity, but not graduated. He began to teach in 1856 in the Hartford institution which his father had founded, and in 1857, at the invitation of Amos Kendall, went to Washington, D. C, with his mother, and organized the Columbian institu- tion for the deaf, dumb, and blind. In 1864 he aided in establishing the National deaf-mute col- lege, became its president, and in 1865 also profes- sor of moral and political science. He visited the principal deaf and dumb institutions of Europe in 1867, and in 1868, after his return, published an elaborate report of his observations. In 1880, in compliance with a request made by principals of schools for the deaf and dumb in this country, he attended the international congress of instructors of deaf-mutes held at Milan, Italy. In 1881 he succeeded James A. Garfield as president of the literary society at Washington, D. C. He was president of the Convention of American instruc- tors of deaf-mutes, held at Jacksonville, 111., in 1883. In 1886 he visited England, at the request of the British government, and gave information to the royal commission on the education of the blind,