The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-08-27
Isaac Merritt Siuxer.

Lleman at MS residence.
Isaac Merritt siuxer.
This eminent mechanician died .t his
residence at Old Paignton, near Torouay.
England, on the 23d day Of July, 1915, in
the sixty'fourth year of his age.
1t rarely happens that q great me.
chanical inventor permanently identifies
his name with tho useful inventions he
gives to the world. The men of talent
too often seize upon and carry off the fame
which properly belongs to the men of
genius: Still more rarely does it occur
that the meritorious inventor secures the
pecuniary rewards which Justly pertain
to the highest efforts of the mind.
The subject of this notice was so fortu
nate as to achieve, in both respects, a
grand success. His name and reputation
will be perpetuated by great manufac.
turing corporation, whose beneficial oper-
ations extend over the whole civilized
world, and he died in the possession and
enjoyment Of a colossal fortune. His
father was German, a millwricht by
trade; lis mother was native Of Rens-
selaer county, New York, where the fu.
ture inventor was born. At an early dav
the family moved to Oswego, but the faith
er met with little success in his business.
and the son, when about twelve years of
age, with very imperfect school education
and no money, departed from home to
which he never returned.
From that time forth he fought the
battle Of life alone. He oon,furned his
attention to mechanical work and main.
tanned himself as a machinist, but never
served any regular apprenticeship, and
never pretended to be an accomplished
artisan. His mind naturally employed
itself about novel means Of reaching i'm
portant results, and for many years,
while engaged in inventions, it was his
practice to supply the simplest materials.
such as steel wire bent to some peculiar
shape, or piece Of sheet iron cut to some
strange form, or pine stick curiously
whitfield with pocket knife, to elucidate
the principles Of some Of the most useful
and curious mechanical devices. The in
ventions being thus made, and the meth
cd OF operation distinctly shown, any
skilled artisan can readily put them into
permanent form. At one time MIR.
Singer was engaged in the employment
Of the Messrs. Hoe, in the city Of New
York, as machinist, and then he de-
voted his leisure hours to the study for
the stage. He enjoyed the acquaintance,
and, to limited extent. the instruction
Of Placide, Povey, Clarke, and others,
who then adorned the stage Of the old
Park theatre.
During several years he was a theat-
rlcal manager, and gave frequent repre-
scntations Of plays in the interior cities
OF Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
In certain line Of characters he is said
to have acted with much success. To
the close of his life he had an ardent love
for theatricals and music, and in the
splendid mansion, which he had built
within the last few years, theatre, com.
pIete in all its appointments, was in.
cluded.
While he was still young man he in
vented steam drilling machine, which
was used with much advantage in the
construction of various railways and ca.
nails. Subsequently he invented a ma
chine for carving wood, metals, or mar.
BILE. While endeavoring to introduce this
invention to public notice and use, his at.
tention was casually directed to the sew
ing machine. At that time "a. D. 1S5O)
though several patents on sewing ma.
chimes had been granted in this and 9TH
er countries, no practical machine capable
Of profitable employment to 10 ordinary
work had ever been produced.
Up to that time sewing machines had
been experimental merely, and had failed
to be useful. In eleven days the first
Singer sewing machine was invented and
built complete. 1t contained much that
was new and useful; subsequent improve.
ments, for which numerous patents were
obtained, added greatly to the value of
this machine; but it was successful and
profitable from the beginning to all con.
cerned in it, and against all competition,
has steadily and continuously increased
in public favor, thus establishing the rep.
utation Of the inventor, and securing him
a vast fortune. In 1860, Mr.. Singer re-
tired from the active management Of busi.
ness, and since that time has resided
mainly abroad, After several years res
idence in Paris, he went. with his family,
to England, and finally purchased an es.
tate. and settled down at Old Paignton,
near Torquay. in Devonsh;re. The last
years Of his life were devoted to the i'm.
provement of that property, where he
dispensed liberal hospitality, and to
the poor Of that neighborhood his death
will be a severe bereavement.
A Brussels Love story.
There is a pretty love story told in
connection with the introduction of the
manufacture Of fine lace into Brussels.
A poor young girl, named Gertrude,
was dying for love Of a young man whose
wealth precluded all hopes Of marriage.
One night, as she sat weeping, lady
entered her cottage and, without saying