Generational Deafness in the Family
John was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by his Deaf aunts, Josephine and Mary. Both of John’s parents were largely absent in his life. His father, David, struggled with addiction, and his mother, Christina, was institutionalized for reasons unknown. Due to the sensitivity of these topics within the family, John likely never inquired about the stories behind his parent’s absence. He either chose not to share this information with the family or did not even know much about his parents. Also, it is important to note, there were no pictures of David, only the sketch on the right.
When asked about his family history, he would say, “You don't want to know.”
My great-grandfather shared that his family was poor and suffered many financial hardships. Like many Americans in the 1920s, consistent work and financial stability were hard to find.
Before the expansion of this archive, this was all we knew about John’s family history.
In-depth census research uncovered details about my great-grandfather’s family, the Horrigan’s. I came to find out that both of John’s parents were deaf, and almost all of the Horrigan family living in Cambridge were deaf, with only two exceptions within the family. Giving us all a new outlook on their struggles and absences as deaf parents, navigating a largely anti-deaf world.
Though we can't uncover the depths of the family dynamic through census records, knowing my great-grandfather's father, David, was deaf placed the family on top of the financial instability of the country in this era; the Horrigan family’s job insecurity was also likely linked to their Deafness being viewed as a disability. From what John had alluded to slightly, David struggled with addiction as a coping mechanism for the family's despondencies. Eventually, leading to David becoming an absent member of the house.
John’s mother, Christina Horrigan, was institutionalized for nearly half her life at Westborough State Hospital, likely due to her Deafness. Little is known about her diagnosis by the institution. She likely struggled with depression and anxiety due to increasing family hardships. Like many in this era who were deaf, she became defined by her deafness and mental hardships and was not afforded proper care.
Highlighted is a 1940s census recorded at Westborough State Hospital. Prominent facility for mental illnesses at the time.
David Horrigan’s Voided Military Draft Registration
This is a draft registration card assigned to David Horrigan, John’s father. This form is a void request on the basis of “Deaf and Dumb.” This void request was filled out in 1917, three years after the start of the First World War and a year before the war was finished
In 1917, a denial to serve and voiding the draft was something widely critiqued by society at large between people of all abilities. Though, at the time, the denial to serve was not seen as a Deaf Gain, it’s important to note this form of discrimination against the Deaf ended up protecting Deaf generations and their erasure.
“Deaf and Dumb” (See page one, section 12)
“Deaf and Dumb” (See page two, section three)
This is the first mention of a misspelling of my family’s last name within census records. The name is written as ‘Harrigan’ rather than ‘Horrigan’. There are multiple different records of an interchanging between these two variations of the last name.
It wasn’t uncommon for names to be spelled wrong on important forms at this time. Many people immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s and experienced family name changes either forcefully, mistakenly, or purposely to better assimilate into American culture. Likely, the name could have been written wrong by a worker, reflecting the carelessness on the part of the hearing person interacting with a deaf person at the time, a lack of shared understanding of the family name’s spelling, or a lack of literacy. There is also a chance the family name altered with time.