To check my research done about Joseph, see his page on my website:
Relationship
You will see that he is listed as my 1st cousin 3 times removed. In other words, he was the grandson of my 3rd great-grandparents, John Bond and Sarah Chastain. His father George and my 2nd great-grandfather Solomon were brothers. However, his parents were 1st cousins so he is also my 2nd cousin 3 times removed as my 3rd great-grandfather John and Joseph's grandmother Selia were siblings. It does get rather confusing.
Deaf and Dumb
You can see that Joseph was listed as deaf and dumb on the 1860 and 1870 census. I thought it was interesting that the census taker in 1870 added the comment smart to Joseph's entry. According to the history of Oregon Deaf School,
there were at least 30 deaf children in Oregon in 1870, so a state school was started. Did Joseph attend this school? Are there lists of students available? His sister Sarah who was also deaf and dumb did attend this school and met her future husband. By the 1880 census, Joseph's entry has a mark in the deaf and dumb column, but not in the cannot read or cannot write columns. In 1900 when Joseph was living with his brother James, the census taker wrote “yes” on Joseph's line on the columns can read and can write. So apparently someway Joseph did learn to read and write. However the census taker wrote “no” for the column can speak English. How could Joseph speak English when he was deaf and dumb? I really don't think that's what the designers of the census had in mind with that question.
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