The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-10-08
Deaih of EIias Howe Jr.


Yesterdays Boston papers notice the burial
sunday afternoon, in Cambridge of Elias
Howe, ir., the inventor of the sewing machines
Mr. Howe died in Brooklyn, N. Y. on Friday.
On Saturday the principal dealers in sewing ma
chimes in Boston closed their stores and offices
The funeral services were heldtn the Universal
list church and were largely attended by men of
distinction i'll various walks of life The tuner
al discourse was delivered by tho Rev. Mr..
Greenwood of Maiden, lsAa a! aU1
Mr.. Howe was native of Spencer Massa-
chusetts, where he was born in 1919 When
old enough he assisted in tending the erist
mill, saw-mill and shinglc-machine which be-
ionged to his father, and there imbibed that
taste Tor mechanics which gave q iturn to his
mind, which, at later period his life, result
ed IN the production of machine which now
sells IN the country at the rate of some four
thousand per week. In 1885 he went to Low
ell and there entered machine sbop which
he soon left to engage at Cambridge in Sion
where his cousin, Ex-Governor Banks was EN-
ployed. They boarded In the same
house. 1t was about this time
that he chanced to hear some one COW
that the man who should invent sewing
machine would be certain to make a large for
tune, and with the assistance of George FL H.
er, he commenced upon the task, and the win
ter of 1844-45 was devoted to the realzpton of
X.
and in the following July he sewed by his ma
chine all the seams of two suits of wooden
clothes-one suit for Mr.. Fisher who befriena-
ed him, and the other for himself. His mach
inc was tested in Boston, and though it aston
ished the tailors he received no orders for its
mate; but he persevered, hoping by reducing
It's cost to make it more available, and the
moo. which secured him his first patent, Sep
tlaa per 10, 1916, was made being Obliged in
J SnE in'erim to take the position of an engine
uit I've 10 obtain the means of sustenance.
IL was induced to believe that i'm England
nc! .o snou,9 rap quick reward for his inven-
uoh, ana thther he repaired: hut he attained
no encouragement and after 80 $3.50, ~
sense he reached New York in lao 10 So,nd
that the sewing machine was TALKED 90 LA
that others had entered the field with their IN
yentions His machine and patent naners
were in England, but through the kindness Of
Hon. Anson Burlngame, who was in London
thew were secured and returned to him. and
he engaged single handed and with empty
pockets to fight for his tights. How
he toiled, and how he contested the ground,
and how he finally triumphed, are matters of
record. Mr.. Parton, in May last, told the sto-
~ III the Atlantic Monthly.
Elias Howe was peculiar and remarkable
man, not free from the infirmities OF genius,
put possessing large soul and patriotic
heart. He raised regiment in Connecticut
uuriiig the war, and refusing the command of
t accepted the position OF it as private He
served with the regiment, performing duties
which contributed TO the comfort OF the men.
and when III health obliged him to ask for his |
discharge, his associates felt that the Father of
the Regiment was leaving them.
His success at the Paris Exhibition is of too |
recent date TO dwell upon at length. In JuIv |
last he received the gold medal for his sewing |
machine, and was made member of the Lee |
s'oh Oh Honor by the Emperor as a personal |