Cabinetmaker

Maria Bailey and her sister Harriet were amongst the first students to attend the American School for the Deaf when it opened in 1817.  Even though they were already adults, at 20 and 18 years old respectively, they left their hometown of Norwich to receive a better education.

Maria stayed in Hartford at the school for seven years, and it is not clear how she met George Washington Lamb.  Lamb was born in Groton and did not enroll at ASD until 1830, many years after Maria had ceased being a student. Somehow, through the Deaf Community, they crossed paths and married in 1837, despite Maria being over a decade older than George.

They settled in her hometown and lived in this home. George used the carpentry skills he learned at ASD to work in the cabinetry business. Their son, George Washington Lamb, Jr. was born in March 1841 and later followed his father into the carpentry business. Remarkably, in the 1884 directory George W. Lamb, Sr. is listed as working at the A. W. Dickey & Company, at 20 Union Street at 71 years old.

Credits and Sources:

Photos courtesy of:

Keenan; MAGIC UConn; MAGIC UConn.