Obituary 1726 - 1929, England
By: Anne Mancio
May 5, 1930
These are amazing people that lived during the Industrial Revolution. They left a print on the Earth's civilization with their helpful inventions that increased production tenfold!
Tom Gradgrind1800-1829
Eli Whitney
| Employer of Bounderby Bank. Eldest son of Gradgrind family. Died abroad.
Eli Whitney is the inventor of the famous machine, the cotton gin. The cotton gin has increased cotton production dramatically. The demand for cotton increased. Francis C. Lowell improved the manufacturing of cloth. The manufacturing of cloth lead to the development of the textile industry.
Elias Howe created the sewing machine. The sewing machine was used to make clothing in factories. Cyrus McCormick created the reaper. The reaper was used for farming, and it made a quick and cheap method to harvest grain. John Deere was credited for the first steel plow. The steel plow speeds up the farming process. Samuel F. B. Morse created the telegraph. The telegraph was used for better communication networks between people distant to each other. He also created the morse code. Robert Fulton created the first steam boat, called the Clermont. Steam boats are used for transportation. James Watt invented the first reliable steam engine used in boats and trains. Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, which led to power stations being built. Alexander Bell is an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer, and innovator who is credited for the invention of the telephone. Karl Benz is a German engine designer and car engineer, regarded as inventor of gasoline powered automobiles. |
The Life of a Leading Inventor
By: Michael Rapacon
March 1, 1873, England
Sir Richard Arkwright (1732 - 1792) was a leading inventor who’s devices were very beneficial inventions during the Industrial Revolution. Arkwright is widely considered to be the father of the modern industrial factory system.Arkwright was born in 1732 as the son of a tailor. Since there wasn’t enough money in the household to send Arkwright to school, he was taught by his cousin to read and write.
Arkwright didn’t decide to become an entrepreneur until after the death of his first wife. Before that, he was an apprentice at a barbershop.Thanks to his second marriage to Margaret Biggins in 1761, he was able to bring in a small income. The small income allowed him to expand his barbershop business. He concocted a method of dyeing hair that was known only to him and his employees. He travelled the world for human hair to use for his wigs.Unfortunately, the fashion for wearing wigs declined, so Arkwright looked to mechanical inventions in the textile field as a way to make his fortune. With the help of John Kay, a clockmaker, Arkwright made improvements to a machine for carding cotton that produced a stronger yarn and required less physical labor than the one before it. His new carding machine was patented in 1775.
His fortunes didn’t stop there. He continued to rise by making a horse-driven spinning mill, which became one of many. One of the many mills consisted of a machine that used one machine to process the whole yarn manufacturing. This invention was improved by having the labor divided into seperate machines, which improved production and profit. Arkwright was also the first to use the steam engine, invented by James Watt, to power machinery that was used for textiles. From the combination of the steam engine and the machinery, the power loom was soon invented.
Beginning in 1775, there have been many court cases against Arkwright. They challenged the work of Arkwright to be copies of others.These cases weren’t revoked until 1785. Later the next year, he was knighted. Before his death on August 3, 1792, Arkwright had established factories in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, and Scotland, and was a wealthy man.
Arkwright didn’t decide to become an entrepreneur until after the death of his first wife. Before that, he was an apprentice at a barbershop.Thanks to his second marriage to Margaret Biggins in 1761, he was able to bring in a small income. The small income allowed him to expand his barbershop business. He concocted a method of dyeing hair that was known only to him and his employees. He travelled the world for human hair to use for his wigs.Unfortunately, the fashion for wearing wigs declined, so Arkwright looked to mechanical inventions in the textile field as a way to make his fortune. With the help of John Kay, a clockmaker, Arkwright made improvements to a machine for carding cotton that produced a stronger yarn and required less physical labor than the one before it. His new carding machine was patented in 1775.
His fortunes didn’t stop there. He continued to rise by making a horse-driven spinning mill, which became one of many. One of the many mills consisted of a machine that used one machine to process the whole yarn manufacturing. This invention was improved by having the labor divided into seperate machines, which improved production and profit. Arkwright was also the first to use the steam engine, invented by James Watt, to power machinery that was used for textiles. From the combination of the steam engine and the machinery, the power loom was soon invented.
Beginning in 1775, there have been many court cases against Arkwright. They challenged the work of Arkwright to be copies of others.These cases weren’t revoked until 1785. Later the next year, he was knighted. Before his death on August 3, 1792, Arkwright had established factories in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, and Scotland, and was a wealthy man.