Artist and Student Later in Life

Dr. John Brewster Senior formerly attended this church lead by Reverend James Cogswell. Cogswell’s son would go on to found the American School for the Deaf and Brewster’s son visited this area. The original Scotland church was located across the street; today the congregation formerly led by Rev. Cogswell still meets in this building.

Dr. Brewster’s son John Brewster, Jr. (1766 – 1854) was born deaf in nearby Hampton and with the support of his family became a successful portrait painter. He traveled extensively across New England and over 200 paintings are attributed to him.

Reverend Cogswell welcomed his friend’s deaf son to his home in December 1790 and wrote in his diary, “He is very ingenious, he has a genius for painting, and can write and converse by signs so that he may be understood in many things. He lodged here.” Upon hosting him again in February 1791 Cogswell remarked, “I could converse little with him, being not enough acquainted to understand the signs. I pity him and feel thankful to God for the exercise of my senses.”

Brewster entered the American School for the Deaf at the age of 51 and was one of the first students to enroll. He dedicated three years of his adult life to take advantage of this opportunity at a formal education. Studying alongside Alice Cogswell and other far younger students he not only improved his reading and writing skills, but he also contributed to American Sign Language’s creation as a formal language.

Credits and Sources:

Photos courtesy of:

Keenan; Historic New England properties photographic collection; OSV.