Louisa Dow Benton

Louisa Dwight Benton (née Dow; March 23, 1831 – December 7, 1895) was a 19th-century American linguist, translator, and letter writer. She became physically disabled from rheumatism, unable to walk, and lost almost the entire use of her hands. She learned to read Italian, Spanish, German, Greek, and Russian without any instruction. Then she took up Volapük, and became well known as a Volapük scholar. She carried on correspondence with several linguists in Europe and associations for the spreading of this language. Benton died in 1895.