LEWIS HOWARD LATIMER
Lewis Howard Latimer
Born September 4, 1848
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Died December 11, 1928
New York City, New YorkUSA
Occupation Inventor
Spouse Mary Wilson
Children Jeanette and Louise
Parents George Latimer (1818-c1880)
Lewis Howard Latimer (September 4, 1848 - December 11, 1928) was an African
American inventor and draftsman. Though Thomas Alva Edison is credited with the
invention of the lightbulb, Latimer made significant contributions to its
further development.
Lewis Howard Latimer was born Chelsea, Massachusetts on September 4, 1848 as the
youngest of the four children of Rebecca (1826-1848) and George Latimer (July 4,
1818 -c.1880). George Latimer had been the slave of James B. Gray of
Virginia. George Latimer ran away to freedom in Boston, Massachusetts in October,
1842, along with his wife Rebecca, who had been the slave of another man. When
Gray, the owner, appeared in Boston to take them back to Virginia, it became a
noted case in the movement for abolition of slavery, gaining the involvement of
such abolitionists as William Lloyd Garrison. Eventually funds were raised to
pay Gray $400 for the freedom of George Latimer. One of Lewis' siblings was
named William H. Latimer (1846-1892), who worked as a barber.
He joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 15 on September 16,1864. After receiving
an honorable discharge from the Navy on July 3, 1865, he gained employment as an
office boy with a patent law firm, Crosby Halstead and Gould, with a $3.00 per
week salary. He learned how to use a L square, ruler, and other tools. Later,
after his boss recognized his talent for sketching patent drawings, Latimer was
promoted to the position of head draftsman earning $20.00 a week by 1878.
In 1874, he copatented (with Charles W. Brown) an improved toilet system for
railroad cars called the Water Closet for Railroad Cars (U.S. Patent 147,363),
the first of many patents.
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell employed Latimer to draft the necessary drawings
required to receive a patent for Bell's telephone. He did this in his capacity
as draftsman at the firm of Bell's patent law firm.
In 1889, he moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut with his brother, William, his
mother, Rebecca, and his wife. Lewis was hired as assistant manager and
draftsman for the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, a company owned by Hiram Maxim,
a rival of inventor Thomas Edison. Latimer received a patent in January 1881 for
the "Process of Manufacturing Carbons", an improved method for the production of
carbon filaments for lightbulb. The Edison Electric Light Company in New York
City hired Latimer in 1884, as a draftsman and an expert witness in patent
litigation on electric lights. Latimer was also an Edison Pioneer, a group of
those that had worked for Edison companies over the years. Latimer never worked
directly for Thomas Edison, or in Edison's lab.
Lewis Howard Latimer
Born September 4, 1848
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Died December 11, 1928
New York City, New YorkUSA
Occupation Inventor
Spouse Mary Wilson
Children Jeanette and Louise
Parents George Latimer (1818-c1880)
Lewis Howard Latimer (September 4, 1848 - December 11, 1928) was an African
American inventor and draftsman. Though Thomas Alva Edison is credited with the
invention of the lightbulb, Latimer made significant contributions to its
further development.
Lewis Howard Latimer was born Chelsea, Massachusetts on September 4, 1848 as the
youngest of the four children of Rebecca (1826-1848) and George Latimer (July 4,
1818 -c.1880). George Latimer had been the slave of James B. Gray of
Virginia. George Latimer ran away to freedom in Boston, Massachusetts in October,
1842, along with his wife Rebecca, who had been the slave of another man. When
Gray, the owner, appeared in Boston to take them back to Virginia, it became a
noted case in the movement for abolition of slavery, gaining the involvement of
such abolitionists as William Lloyd Garrison. Eventually funds were raised to
pay Gray $400 for the freedom of George Latimer. One of Lewis' siblings was
named William H. Latimer (1846-1892), who worked as a barber.
He joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 15 on September 16,1864. After receiving
an honorable discharge from the Navy on July 3, 1865, he gained employment as an
office boy with a patent law firm, Crosby Halstead and Gould, with a $3.00 per
week salary. He learned how to use a L square, ruler, and other tools. Later,
after his boss recognized his talent for sketching patent drawings, Latimer was
promoted to the position of head draftsman earning $20.00 a week by 1878.
In 1874, he copatented (with Charles W. Brown) an improved toilet system for
railroad cars called the Water Closet for Railroad Cars (U.S. Patent 147,363),
the first of many patents.
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell employed Latimer to draft the necessary drawings
required to receive a patent for Bell's telephone. He did this in his capacity
as draftsman at the firm of Bell's patent law firm.
In 1889, he moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut with his brother, William, his
mother, Rebecca, and his wife. Lewis was hired as assistant manager and
draftsman for the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, a company owned by Hiram Maxim,
a rival of inventor Thomas Edison. Latimer received a patent in January 1881 for
the "Process of Manufacturing Carbons", an improved method for the production of
carbon filaments for lightbulb. The Edison Electric Light Company in New York
City hired Latimer in 1884, as a draftsman and an expert witness in patent
litigation on electric lights. Latimer was also an Edison Pioneer, a group of
those that had worked for Edison companies over the years. Latimer never worked
directly for Thomas Edison, or in Edison's lab.