Kathleen Brockway on historic shared signing community of Lantz Mills

Alex: Deaf historian and author Kathleen Brockway wrote and published a 28-page booklet titled “The Lost Shared Signing Community of Lantz Mills and Shenandoah County, Virginia.” The booklet is a part of a 12-part series by the Shenandoah County Historical Society to celebrate the county’s 250 years of history — 1772 to 2022.

I was able to interview Brockway and will show you a few clips.

Kathleen Brockway: “Why is it called “shared signing community?” The concept is the same with Martha’s Vineyard. Both deaf and hearing people signed. So it’s called a shared signing community. That’s unique and different from large deaf communities like Austin or Frederick. It’s not the same thing. It’s when both deaf and hearing people sign together.

Alex: Brockway said there was a shared signing community at Lantz Mills, Virginia between 1740 to 1970. In 1880, there were “at least 52 identified deaf residents… within a five-mile radius of Lantz Mills.” Some of the residents went to the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton.

Brockway: It actually dates back to 1760 when a family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They were a German family who were Amish and Mennonite and others. They contributed to the population growth. When Petter Hollar arrived in Lantz Mills — it was 600 to 700 acres but is today reduced to a one-mile radius with about 100 residents, which is small, unlike in the past — Petter had some deaf children. Others who moved to the area also had deaf family members.

Alex: Another important family to the shared signing community is the Christian family.

Brockway: The Christian family came from the settler Jacob Christian of Readus, which is near Lantz Mills. Somehow he decided, after he had several deaf children, to start a business and moved to Lantz Mills because it was right in the middle of a business district. There was a cidery, a mill, a blacksmith, and others. So he lived on a land called “Christian Run.” That’s what it was called. There was a blacksmith, an icehouse, and a place with hogs where they were slaughtered for food and lard, and a carpentry upstairs. It was a 13-room house. It was to accommodate a large family with 5 out of 6 of their sons being deaf. It was a big family.

Alex: Brockway said some of the extended Christian family decided to start their own businesses, mostly in coffin-making, cabinets, or chests.

Brockway: That carpentry business is really significant because it may be one of the first Deaf-owned businesses in Virginia. I did some research and there’s just not many like that. It was a truly unique business. And half of the coffins buried in a local church and cemetery were made by them.

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Alex: Part of Brockway’s research was doing interviews with deaf descendants of the families. She was able to find their sign names.

Brockway: The sign for the Christian family’s last name is this (shows sign). And all of them had a sign for their first name. Such as (shows five different sign names).

Alex: How did you find their sign names?

Brockway: Through deaf descendants. I’m really grateful for them. I asked them for information and they provided it. That research is really important and I’m able to document their sign names. Hearing researchers wouldn’t know this… It’s a missed opportunity to know Deaf culture. They are missing the culture. There are many hearing writers who talk about Deaf history, but where is the Deaf culture? And if they don’t know sign language, they need to bring an interpreter and include deaf people in their interviews.

Alex: It’s very interesting to see Deaf history from a Deaf historian’s perspective. There are many more details and photographs in Brockway’s booklet. You can order a PDF copy of the booklet for $15 and you will have to email Brockway to get a copy.

Email: kathleen.brockway@gmail.com