The Marriage of John Fredrick and Elizabeth Studebaker Gates

Elizabeth Studebaker had been born deaf but was educated far beyond most women of the Post-Civil War Era in the United States becoming fluent in sign language. She was formally educated at the Kansas School for the Deaf until she was sixteen years old.

In an article written for Kansas School for the Deaf, her daughter, Ella Gates-Meyer relates how her parents met. Elizabeth had left the Kansas School for the Deaf in 1867. Nine years later in September of 1876, Elizabeth received a letter from Girard, Kansas, written by a former classmate. The letter told of a thirty-five-year-old farmer living in that same locale who was deaf, too. John Fredrick Gates had normal hearing until at age 14 he contracted scarlet and typhoid fever. Often these diseases were fatal; however, John recovered, but was left profoundly hearing impaired.

Elizabeth at age 25 traveled to Girard to “visit him” as Great-aunt Ella Gates-Meyer stated and within a week she became Mrs. John Fredrick Gates.

It is said that John could drive a team using sounds. Sign language was the primary language in their home.

 A Portrait of Elizabeth Studebaker Gates and John Fredrick Gates married on

September 21, 1876. They were married forty-one years until his death

following a stroke.