Lewis H. Latimer
(1848 - 1928)
Lewis H. Latimer
    Model For Today's Youth


   How many American people know that an African -American man, born in Chelsea,
Massachusetts before the Civil War to runaway slaves, would achieve all of the following
accomplishments in his life:

1848 - Lewis H. Latimer born in Chelsea, Massachusetts on September 4.

1861 - Begin working as an office boy for Isaac Wright, a prominent lawyer.

1864 - Joins U.S. Navy.

1865 - Hired by the patent lawyer firm Cosby and Gould as an office boy.

1873 - Marries Mary Wilson on September 20.

1874 - Patents an improvement on train water closets with W.C. Brown.

1876 - Executes the drawings for Alexander Graham Bell's patent for the telephone.

1879 - Begins working for Hiram Maxim's U.S. Electric Lighting Company; invents a  carbon
filament to make electric lights longer lasting and more affordable.

1882- Receives a patent arc lamp; travels to Philadelphia, New York and Montreal to       
supervise the installation of lights and wiring; sets up a light bulb factory in London.

1883 - Daughter Emma Jeannette born; Latimer constructs the Latimer lamp while at the
Omstead Electrical Company; begins working for Thomas Alva Edison.

1886 - Latimer receives patent for Apparatus for Cooling and Disinfecting on January 12.

1890 - Named Edison Electric Light Company's Chief Draftsman; publishes incandescent
Electric Lighting, A Practical Description of the Edison system; daughter Louise Rebbeca
born.

1896 - Becomes the chief draftsman at the Board of Patent Control; receives patent foe   
Locking Rack for hats, coats and umbrellas on March 24.

1911 - Becomes a patent consultant at Edwin Hammer's firm.

1918 - Becomes a charter member of the Edison Pioneer.

1925 - "The Poems of Love and Life" is published.

1928 - Dies on December 11.

1988 - Latimer's home in Flushing N.Y. is moved to a new location in Queens to serve       
as a museum.
Designed by: Anthony Donatelli
Last Revised: 01/25/09 03:24:56
Copyright © 2008 Lewis
Latimer Society.
All rights reserved.
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