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MSS 78
St. Ann’s Church for
the Deaf, est. 1852
Gallaudet University Archives.
Descriptive Summary
Repository:
Gallaudet
University Archives Administrative Information
Acquisition
Information:
St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf papers were donated to the Gallaudet
University Archives by Henry L. Buzzard.
Related Material
in the Archives
· Statements respecting St. Ann's Church for Deaf-Mutes presented at a public meeting in the large chapel of the University, Wednesday evening, November 16, 1853, together with an abstract of the Proceedings of a meeting held by deaf-mutes, Thursday eve. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Rare · Proceedings of a meeting in relation to St. Ann's Church for Deaf-Mutes. Wednesday, May 19, 1858. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Rare
· Papers, Rev. Otto B. Berg, 1909-1995. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 115 · Collection / The Church Mission to Deaf-Mutes, 1921-1988. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 120 · Collection, Henry L. Buzzard, 1951-1993.Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: MSS 67
· Rev. John Chamberlain Collection, 1875-1890. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS · Papers, Nadia Bolz-Weber, 2004-2005. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS
·
Papers, Edwin Allan
Hodgson, 1909. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: SMSS Vertical Files · St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf. Gallaudet University Archives, Call Number: Deaf Subject
In 1852, Thomas Gallaudet, the son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and elder brother of Edward Miner Gallaudet, established St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf in the chapel of New York University on the first Sunday in October. From 1852-1902, for fifty years, Thomas Gallaudet served as vicar of St. Ann’s. During September of 1854, St. Ann’s was legally incorporated and five years later, in July of 1859, St. Ann’s moved into its own building. In 1872, Thomas Gallaudet organizes “The Church Mission to Deaf Mutes”. In 1876, the first home for aged and infirm deaf people was established in New York City. This home was named the Gallaudet Home and moved to a new property along the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, NY in 1887. In 1895, the original church building was sold and services were held at St. John the Evangelist Church. St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf merged with St. Matthew’s Church in 1897 amid acrimonious debate; St. Matthew’s assumed responsibility for St. Ann’s. Within a year, a new church building was consecrated by Bishop Potter on December 26, 1898. The Gallaudet Home burned down in 1900 and two years later, in 1902, on August 27, the founder of St. Ann’s, Thomas Gallaudet, passed away. The new vicar was John Chamberlain and he served from 1902-1921. During his term, the rebuilding of the Gallaudet Home took place in 1903. St. Ann’s Guild House was dedicated on December 12, 1912. In 1921, John Chamberlain died and John H. Kent took over as vicar until the late 1920s. In the late 1920s, Guilbert C. Braddock became vicar and served until the mid 1940s. His tenure saw controversy flared about the relationship of St. Ann’s and St. Matthew’s. Edwin Nies served St. Ann’s prior to his ordination as a clergyman, and in 1948, saw the ties severed between St. Ann’s and St. Matthew’s. The building was sold and services were held at St. Mark’s in the Bouwerie Church from 1949-1960. Edwin Nies completed his tenure as vicar in 1964. Services were held at St. Michael’s church from 1960-1963, then at All Angel’s Church from 1963-1966. In 1964, Eric J. Whiting took over as vicar and served until 1970, when Jay Croft took over for six years until 1976. Columba Gilliss served as vicar from 1976-1984 and turned the reins over to Steven Hagar.
The St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf papers consist largely of printed religious matter, the records of church organizations, correspondence to and from various vicars, and a number of clippings from various sources related to the deaf.
The collection which
consists of approximately 1500 items, dates from 1850-1984. The bulk of
the collection consists of materials related to St. Ann’s. This includes
materials printed by St. Ann’s, articles about St. Ann’s, and
correspondence from several vicars. Vicars whose correspondence is
included in the papers are: Thomas Gallaudet, John Chamberlain, John H.
Kent, and Guilbert C. Braddock. Generally the letters written and received
by the vicars reflect the mission work of St. Ann’s. Most prevalent is
correspondence concerning the Gallaudet home. Parish organizations left a
considerable printed and manuscript records. These include report books,
expenditure and statements, printed material such as bylaws and
invitations, and letters received by the organizations. No Series.
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