MSS 33

Grabill, Wilson H., 1912-1983

Papers of Wilson H. Grabill, 1942-1983

Gallaudet University Archives.

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Gallaudet University Archives
Call No.: MSS 33
Creator:
Title: Collection of Wilson Grabill, 1942-1983
Quantity: 1.0 Linear Feet (2 document boxes)
Abstract:
Note: This document last updated 2005 December 7.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

Processed by: Michael J. Olson.
Processing Note:
Conditions on Use and Access: This collection is open to the public with no restrictions. Photocopies may be made for scholarly research.

Related Material in the Archives:

Photographs

·         Wilson H. Grabill [picture]. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Portraits

Small Manuscripts

·         Papers, Wilson Grabill, 1963. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS

Vertical Files

·         Wilson H. Grabill. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Biographical.

Biographical Sketch

Wilson H. Grabill was born in Evansville, Wisconsin on December 13, 1912.  Mr. Grabill attended public schools until his parents discovered his hearing was badly impaired at age five and attended Wisconsin School for the Deaf at Delavan.  He graduated from Gallaudet College in 1934 and received his master’s degree in statistics from American University.

After graduation, Grabill started his job at the Census Bureau and eventually rose to become chief of the family and fertility statistics branch of the population division.  During his career, he wrote many articles related to the population pertaining to fertility.

Grabill retired in 1975 after 41 years of service and received the Commerce Department’s Gold Medal in 1962. Also in 1963, he received the Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from Gallaudet College. He was an active member of the Episcopal Church and the Alexandria- Potomac Lion’s Club. Grabill was also a member of the board for the Population Association of America and the U.S. National Committee of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population.  For many years, he was the secretary of the Board of Trustees of Gallaudet College.  Grabill was also a founding member of the National Health Care Foundation for the Deaf (NHCFD) and the organization named a center after him.

In 1936, he married Edna Harbin, who he met at Gallaudet, and had two children. He passed away on January 30, 1983 at age 70.

Scope and Content

The Wilson H. Grabill’s collection consists of two boxes.  Most of the information is about his career and achievements.  There are also some of his published works related to fertility in the population and his reports from the Census Bureau.  Grabill visited England to present a paper at London for the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population and that information is involved in this collection about that time. There are also several letters in the collection.  When Grabill retired in 1975, they threw a luncheon in his honor and there are documents about that event in that collection.  Lastly, in this collection there is the program from when Grabill gave a speech in Hawaii at the Conference Workshop on Population Census Tabulation in 1971.

Series Descriptions and Folder Lists

No Series.