Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-08-18
Isaac Merritt Singer.

Isaac Merritt Singer.
This eminent mechanician died at his
residence at Old Paignton, near Tor.
quay, England, on the 23d day of July,
1875, in the sixty-fourth year of his age.
It rarely happens that great me-
chanical inventor permanently Identifies
his name with the 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 &C.
cur that the meritorious inventor Sc
cures the pecuniary rewards which just
ly pertain to the highest efforts of the
mind.
The subject of this notice was SO for
tunate as to achieve, in both respects,
a grand success. His name and repu-
tatien will be perpetuated by great
manufacturing corporal on, whose bene-
fetal ope1 atoms extend over the whole
civilized world, and he died in the pos
session and enjoyment Of a colossal
fortune. His father was German, a
millwright by trade; his mother was a
native Of Rensselaer, county, New York;
where the future inventor was born!
At an early day the family moved to
Oswego, but the father 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 lifealone. He soon turned his
attention to mechanical work, and main
tanned himself as machinist, but never
served any regular apprenticeship, and
never pretended to be an accomplished
artisan. His mind naturally employed
important results, and for many years,
while engaged in inventions, it was his
practice to employ the simplest mate
rails, such as steel wire bent to some
peculiar shape, or a 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 me-
chanical devices. The inventions being
thus made, and the method of operation
distinctly shown, any skilled artisan can
readily put them into permanent form.
At one time Mr.. Singer was engaged in
the employment of the Messrs. Hoe, in
the city of New York, as machinist.
and then devoted his leisure hours to
study for the stage. He enjoyed the ac-
quaintance, and, to a 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 theat
rical manager, and gave frequent repre-
sensations 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 yeas, thea
tire, complete in all its appointments,
was included.
While he was still young man he
invented steam drilling machine,
which was used with much advantage
in the construction of various railways
and canals. Subsequently he invented
machine for carving wood, metals. or
marble. While endeavoring to intro
duce this invention to public notice and
use, his attention was casually directed
to the sewing machine. At that time
ca. d. 1850 though several patents on
sewing devices had been granted in this
and other countries, no practical ma
chine capable of profitable employment
to do ordin. ry work had ever been pro
dUced.
Up to that time sewing machines Il ad
been experimental merely. and had
failed to be useful. In eleven days the,
first Singer sewing machine was invent
ed and built complete. It contained
much that was new and useful; subse-
quent improvements, for which numer-
Gus patents wer. obtained, added great
ly to the value of this machine; but it
was successful and profitable from the
beginning to all concerned in it, and,
against all competition, has steadily
and continuously increased in public
favor, thus establishing the reputation
of the inventor, and securing him a vast
fortune. In 1860, Mr.. Singer retired
from the active management of bust
ness, and since that time has resided
mainly abroad. After several years
residence in Paris, he went, with his
family, to England, and finally pur-
chased an estate, and settled down at
Old Paignton, near Torquay, in Devon
shire. The last years of his life were
devoted to the improvement. of that
property, where he dispensed liberal
hospitality, and to the poor of that
his death will be severe
bereavement
The largest Fine Ever Paid by a Thief