February 6, 1776

One of the stories spreading through the Philadelphia press in early February 1776 was not exactly news. At the very least, it was information that was years old. And it may have been exaggerated, as well. This news item, printing in London in November 1775 and then translated for the Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote, described a man who lived in Caernarfon, Wales. He was non-verbal, and he married a non-verbal woman. Their wedding was attended by twelve other non-verbal people from neighboring counties. According to this article, the couple exchanged vows through gestures. Double checking the English-language newspapers in Philadelphia from this same week reveals that the German newspaper left out one final detail from this story: that the couple had had three or four children who were all non-verbal, as well.

This family was framed in this story as a curiosity. The man was further described as subsisting on fish, which had nothing to do with his communication abilities, and in fact made sense for someone living in a coastal town like Caernarfon.

Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote
Printed by Henry Miller

London, [...] Den 17 November. [...]

Es ist jetzt in der stadt Carnavon (in Wales) ein stummer mann am leben der sich mit fischen nähret; vor etlichen jahren heirathete er eine stumme weibsperson; zwölf stumme leute aus den benachbarten grafschaften wurden zur hochzeit gebeten; daß jawort bey der trauung wurde so gegeben, daß zwey personen für sie antworteten nachdem sie ihre einwilligung durch zeichen zu verstehen gegeben hatten.