The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-09-03

session and enjoyment of colossal for-
tune. His father was aGerlnan, a MILL
wright by trade !; his mother native of
Rensselaer, County, New YORK, where
the future inventor was born. At an
early day the family removed to Oswe-
go, but the father met with little sue
cess in his business, and the son, wlien
about twelve years of age, with very
imperfect school education and no nno.,-
ey, departed from home to which he
never returned.
From that time forth, he fought the
battle of life alone. He soon turned
his attention to mechanical work, and
maintained himself as machinist, but
he never served any regular apprentice.
ship, and never pretended to be an ac-
complisl,ed artisan. His mind naturally
employed itself about novel means of
reaching important results, and for
many years, while engaged in inven-
tions, it was his practice 70 employ 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 princl-
pies of some of the most useful and curl
Gus mechanical devices. The inventions
being thus made, and the method of
operation distinctly shown, any skilled
artisan readily pnt them INTO permanent
form. ut one time Mr.. Singer was en-
gagged in the employment Of the Messrs.
Hoe, in the city of New York, as q
machinist, and then devoted his leisure
hours to study for the stage. He en-
joyed the acquaintance, and to limited
extent, the instruction of Plaeide, Povey,
Clarke and others, who then adorned
the stage of the old Park theatre.
During several years he was a theat-
rical manager, and gave frequent rep
rescntations 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 thcatricals and music, and in
the splendid mansion, which he had
built within the last few years, theatre,
complete in all its appointments, was
included.
| While he was still young man he
invented steam drilling machine
which was used with much adyahtage
in the construction of various railway
} and canals. subsequently be invented
} a machine for carving wood, metals, o
marble. While endeavoring to intro
2 duce this invention to public notice AM
: use, his attention was casually Directs
t to the sewing machine. At that tim
r IA. D. 1s50) though several patents o
2 sewing devices had been granted in thi
t and other countries, no practical ma
t chine capable of profitable empioymen
to do ordinary work bad eyer been pro
r duced.
; Up to that tine sewing machines hat
) been experimental merely and had failet
: to be useful. In eleven days the frs
Singer sewing machine was invente,
and built complete. It contained mucl
: that was new and useful, subsequen
improvements, for which numerous pat
ents were obtained, added greatly t.
7 the value of this machine; but it wa
successful and profitable from the be
ginning TO all concerned in it and
against all competition, has steadily ant
continuously increased in public favor
thus establishing the reputation OF th'
inventor and securing him vast for
tune. In 1860, Mr.. Singer retired from
the active management of business, ant
since that time has resided mainl,
) abroad. After several years. residenc
: in Paris, he went, with his family, t
England, and finally purchased an estai
and settled down at Old Paignton, nea
Torquay in Dcvonshire. The last year
of his life were devoted to the improve
ment of that property, where he dil
pensed liberal hospitality, ard to ii
poor of that neighborhood his death wi
, be severe bereavement.
"a man who would be good worker,
. says Henry Ward Beecher, ssmust be
good sleeper. The quality OF ment
s activity depends upon the quality of slice