In 1852, Thomas Gallaudet, the son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and elder brother of Edward Miner Gallaudet, established St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf in the chapel of New York University on the first Sunday in October. From 1852-1902, for fifty years, Thomas Gallaudet served as vicar of St. Ann’s. During September of 1854, St. Ann’s was legally incorporated and five years later, in July of 1859, St. Ann’s moved into its own building. In 1872, Thomas Gallaudet organized “The Church Mission to Deaf Mutes”. In 1876, the first home for aged and informed deaf people was established in New York City. This home was named the Gallaudet Home and was moved to a new property along the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, NY in 1887.

In 1895, the original church building was sold and services were held at St. John the Evangelist church. St. Ann’s Church for the Deaf merged with St. Matthew’s Church in 1897 amid acrimonious debate; St. Matthew’s assumed responsibility for St. Ann’s. Within a year, a new church building was consecrated by Bishop Potter on December 26, 1898.

The Gallaudet Home burned down in 1900 and two years later, in 1902, on August 27, the founder of St. Ann’s, Thomas Gallaudet, died. The new vicar is John Chamberlain and he served from 1902-1921. During his term, the rebuilding of the Gallaudet Home took place in 1903. St. Ann’s Guild House was dedicated on December 12, 1912. In 1921, John Chamberlain died and John H. Kent took over as vicar until the late 1920s. In the late 1920s, Guilbert C. Braddock became vicar and served until the mid 1940s. his tenure saw controversy flare about the relationship of St. Ann’s and St. Matthew’s. Edwin Nies serves St. Ann’s prior to his ordination as a clergyman, and in 1948, sees the ties severed between St. Ann’s and St. Matthew’s. The building was sold and services were held at St. Mark’s in the Bouwerie church from 1949-1960. Edwin Nies completes his tenure as vicar in 1964. Services were held at St. Michael’s church from 1960-1963, then at All Angels’ Church from 1963-1966. In 1964, Eric J. Whiting took over as vicar and served until 1970, when Jay Croft took over for six years until 1976. Columba Gilliss served as vicar from 1976-1984 and turned the reins over to Steven Hagar.