The Bolling family, who lived in Virginia, were the most prominent colonists to send their deaf children to the Braidwood Academy.[3] Thomas Bolling and his wife Elizabeth Gay (who was also his first cousin) had three deaf children, John, Mary, and Thomas Jr., as well as at least two hearing children.[5][6] John was the first of the three children to go to the Braidwood Academy in 1771, with Mary and Thomas Jr. arriving later.[4] The three Bolling children arrived back in the United States in 1783; however, they became ill shortly after arriving home, and John died on October 11, 1783.[7] Because of this, it cannot be determined how effective the ten years of oral instruction he received were.[7] Mary and Thomas Jr. lived for at least another four decades, and comments about Thomas Jr. noted that he was a "miracle of accomplishments."[7]