History of Bethlehem, (Litchfield County) Connecticut United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Bethlehem, (Litchfield County) Connecticut, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Harvey Prindle Peet, educator, was born in Bethlehem, Conn., Nov. 19, 1794; son of Richard and Joanna (Prindle) Peet. He attended the district schools, and in 1810 engaged in teaching, thereby earning the money to prepare for college at Phillips academy, Andover, Mass. He was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1822, A.M., 1825; was a teacher in the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb at Hartford, Conn., 1822-31; principal of the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in New York city, 1831-67; of directors fourteen years, and emeritus principal of that institution, 1867-73. Under his direction the New York institution grew to be the largest and the most successful in the world. He was married, Nov. 27, 1823, to Margaret Maria, daughter of the Rev. Isaac Lewis, D.D.; secondly, in 1835, to Sarah Ann, daughter of Dr. Matson Smith, and thirdly, Jan. 15, 1868, to Mrs. Louisa P. Hotchkiss. He received the degree LL.D. from the regents of the University of the State of New York in 1849, and that of Ph.D. from Gallaudet college in 1871. Of his sons, Isaac Lewis succeeded him as principal of the institute; Edward (1826-1862,) was an instructor in the institute, 1848-62, and Dudley (1830-1862), was a practising physician and also assisted his father as an instructor in the institute. He prepared a series of elementary books for deaf mutes, entitled Course of Instruction for the Deaf and Dumb (1844-46); contributed articles on his specialty to the American Journal of Insanity, and to the American Annals for the Deaf and Dumb, and is the author of: Scripture Lessons for the Deaf and Dumb (1846); Statistics of the Deaf and Dumb (1852); Report on Education of the Deaf and Dumb in Higher Branches (1852); Letters to Pupils on Leaving the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb (1854); Legal Rights, etc., of the Deaf and Dumb (1856), and History of the United States of America (1869). He died in New York city, Jan. 1, 1873.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Bethlehem, (Litchfield County) Connecticut

Biographies: