Illinois School for the Deaf

[Letter was found in the ISD Media Center Library by Mickey Jones, Ph.D.]

Jacksonville December 7th 1855.

Thomas Officer Esq.

Dear Sir.

We, the undersigned, have learned with profound regret, that you are about to retire from the post, from which you have so long and so ably filled, as Principal of the Illinois State Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb. We can regard this event in no other light, than as a most serious calamity to that Institution and we cannot forbear to express the hope, that in some way, you may yet be re established in your former position, under auspices, which shall give promise to you of continued usefulness and happiness in that responsible station.

While we are fully aware that you stand in need of no testimonial from us, to shield you from the shafts of injustice so industriously aimed at you, we cannot deny ourselves the gratification of expressing to you our high appreciation of your eminent services to the Institution, which you are about to leave, our unbounded confidence in the purity, integrity and fidelity, with which you have ever served the best interests of that Institution - and our warmest assurance of an earnest and lasting interest in your welfare and happiness in life.

With the highest respect and most friendly regard, we are -

Very Truly Yours -

J. H. Bancroft	David A. Smith	I. D. Rawlings
T. J. Larimore	John W. Lathrop	William Brown
Wm. Branson	G. W. Becraft	Samuel Adams
Jas. Berdan	John E. Owsley	W. Mathers
J. N. King	Mat Stacy	Stephen Sutton
H. H. Massey	P. W. Taintor	Cyrus Mathews
Stephen S. Massey	Jn. T. Jones	Ed Scott
E. R. Elliott	Joel Catlin	Henry Jones
John W. Goltra	J. M. Sturtevant	Jos. O. King
Saml. Markoe	Henry Stryker	B. Gillett
Geo. M. Richards	C. K. Sawyer	Geo. W. Fox
Jairus Kibbe	N. Dewees (Nimrod)	A. N. Martin
Elihu Wolcott	A. McDonald	A. H. Willson
Geo. M. Cambers	Wm. Hamilton, Sr.	S. R. King
A. Bulkley (Aristarchus)	Jas. H. Dickens	Horace Bancroft
O. W ilkinson	Edwin Clement	Robt Hockenhull
David Prince	Edward C. Lax	T. D. Eames
John E. Sutton	John Hughes	B. F. Stevenson
Seth Witherbee	John Nelthorpe	J. B. Turner
Rich. Yates	Louis Hatfield	William Russel
H. B. McClure	James Jackson	William C. Stevenson, Jr.
W. W. Happy	C. G. Selleck	E. Stevenson
Joseph Tomlinson	Geo. C. Scott	Eben Peck
James Green	I. L. Morrison	W. H. Broadwell
Willys Catlin	J. T. Holmes	J. H. Alderman
W. C. Verry	Silas Veitch	Wm. U. Eagan

 

A special thanks to Bob Dalton, Greg Olson, and John Power of Jacksonville for their invaluable assistance in identifying the men who signed the letter. The signatures were 148 years old at the time.