author
J. E. (James Ernst) Gallaher
b. 1858
A deaf educator, editor, and compiler from Illinois, he is best remembered for preserving stories of Abraham Lincoln and for documenting the lives of accomplished deaf Americans. His work reflects both a teacher’s clarity and a deep commitment to making achievement visible.
1 Audiobook
Best Lincoln stories, tersely told
by J. E. (James Ernst) Gallaher
About the author
Born in Girard, Illinois, on February 4, 1858, James Ernst Gallaher lost his hearing at age seven after an illness described at the time as "spotted fever." He entered the Illinois school for the deaf in 1868 and graduated in 1877 as valedictorian.
After a short period working as a printer, he taught in the Chicago day schools for deaf students from 1879 into the early twentieth century. He also worked in deaf journalism, including service as managing editor of the Chicago National Exponent, and later became principal of the Evansville School for the Deaf.
Gallaher wrote and edited books that combined popular history with advocacy for the deaf community. His best-known works include Best Lincoln Stories, Tersely Told and Representative Deaf Persons of the United States of America (1898), a volume of portraits and sketches that highlighted the accomplishments of educated deaf Americans.