When the biography of Sarah Woodside is optioned for a film, the cinematic chameleon Meryl Streep should be cast as the heroine. With her gifts for accents and physical transformation, surely she could add Yinzer and turn-of-the-century ASL to her repertoire?
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Sarah grew up with five Deaf older brothers, shown in this 1850 Census:
| Robert | 28 | M | Lab(orer) | Pa | Deaf & Dumb |
| William | 24 | M | Lab(orer) | Pa | Deaf & Dumb |
| Samuel | 22 | M | Lab(orer) | Pa | Deaf & Dumb |
| James | 20 | M | Lab(orer) | Pa | Deaf & Dumb |
| Archybald | 9 | M | Pa | Deaf & Dumb |
Her brothers attended the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Philadelphia, so home was surely a rich language environment. Subtract 10 years from the ages of the last two hearing children, which were incorrectly recorded, making Sarah 6 years old at the time:
Sarah never married or had children. She worked in a variety of educational, social service and pastoral positions with Deaf people for 40 years, and was remembered by one congregant as “one of the oldest and best interpreters for the deaf in the world.”
She is listed as both a speaker and the sole interpreter “for the benefit of hearing people” at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Pittsburgh Branch of the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf on March 13, 1909. The grateful Deaf members of her beloved Reformed Presbyterian congregation threw her a reception to celebrate her years of service on April 29th. She fell ill soon afterward, and died six weeks later, missing her 65th birthday by a few days. Sarah had contracted meningitis — likely something that many of her Deaf friends knew well.
Her last month was spent at the Reformed Presbyterian Aged People’s Home, which remarkably still exists on the same property. Etta Jamison, matron of the facility, was the informant for the death certificate, and what she reported to the Allegheny County Registrar is quite remarkable:
Occupation: Deaf mute – Interpreter
Etta certainly had known Sarah, and attested to her life’s work with that title, over 100 years ago. She may not be the “oldest,” but for now Sarah Woodside is one of the earliest I have found who carries the professional designation of a sign language interpreter on an official record.
References
Deaf-Mutes’ Journal, 25 March 1909
Pennsylvania Death Certificate #52793
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 30 April 1909
R. L. Polk & Co. Pittsburgh City Directory, 1909
The Christian Nation, Vol. 51
It is a very interesting story. It is strikingly fascinating when you included the primary sources such as census record and death certificate.
Thank you, Keith! As a genealogist of over 25 years, I am absolutely fanatical about filling in and verifying details about subjects ‘ lives. I don’t believe anyone actually existed unless I find proof!
I am intrigued why you think Meryl Streep should be a fit to cast a role as SL interpreter while it is preferred for a real interpreter who knows SL, not Meryl. Meryl has zero skills in SL.
Just wondering. Thanks!
Just fun to imagine the boost we’d get from her star power, and her physical resemblance to Woodside.