Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-13
The First Sewing-Nnchincs.


A London cabinct-maker, called Thomas
Saint, In or about 1850 took out patenl
for a machine for sewing leather, or
rather, for quilting. stitching, ana
making shoes boots, splatterdashes. clogs
and other articles" This patent, unfortu-
nately. was taken out along with other
inventions in connection with leather
and II was quite by accident that, some
eighty years later, the specification Of Il
was discovered by one who had MADE
for himself a name in connection viii
sswine-machines. Even the Patent-Oiiic'
did not seem TO have known OF its exist
ence. vet now it Is clear enough that
Thomas Saints leather-sewng machine
Of 1890 was the first genuine sewing ms
chine ever constructed. and that II Wa
on what is now known as the cham
stitch" principle. Rude as 1t was.
is declared by experts to have anticipated
most OF the ingenious ideas Of half %
century OF successive inventors, not on
Of whom. however, could In all human
probability have as much as heard 81
Saints machine. This Is not the leas'
curious incident in the history OF the
sewing machine
In Saints machine the features arc
the overhanging arm, which is the chai
acteristic Of many modern machines; u
perpendicular action Of the singer ma
chine: the eye-pointed needle OF the
Howe machine; the pressure surfaces Re
culiar TO the Howe machine. and feed
system equal TO Chat Of he most moo
ern inventions. Whether Saints MIA
chine was ever worked in a practice
workshop or not, II was unquestionab'3
4 practicable machine, constructed D.
one who knew pretty well what he Wa
bout and wha' he wanted 20 achieve.
Now. note the date of Thomas Saint 3
patent $3.50, and next note the date o.
the invention Of Barthelmy Thimonnicr
IF st. Etienne who Is claimed il
France as the inventor Of The SEWING
machine In 1880 ThimCnnier constructe'
machine. principally Of wood, with a.
arrangement of barbed Needles. for stitch
ng gloves. and in the following yea
ne began business in Paris. with a part
Ter, as an army clOthier. g. The firm O
ThimOnnier, Petit & Co, however. die
not thrive, because the ouVriers hough
they saw In the principals machine ..
instrument destined 10 ruin them; mucl
as the Luddites viewed steam machiner
~ the cotton districts Of England A.
idea of that sort rapidly GERM
mates heat, and ThimOnniers wOrkshO
was one day invaded by an angry mob
pelled the inventor to seek safety II
flight. Poor Thlmonnier was absen,
from Paris for three years. but n lN
returned. with another and more perfect
machine. This was so cOldly received
! both by employers and workinen in IN.
| tailoring jrade, that he left the capital
| and, journeying through France witt
| his machine paid his way by exhibtiIr-
| it in the towns and villages as curl
/ osity. After a few years. however. Thi
| ronnier fell in with carit7list, W.
| believed in him and his machine, anC
was willing TO stake money on Doth. d.
| partnership was entered into for 'h'
! manufacture and sale of the machine
and all promised we'll for the new
firm. when the Revolution Of lsiS brok'
out. stopped the business, and ruined
| both the inventor and the capitalist
| Thimonnier died in 1851, in a poorhous'
| Of a broken heart
This French machine was also on III
chain-stitch principle. but it was fortl
years later than Saints. In bo;weel
| the two came. about 1892. one Waite
| Hunt. of New York. who is said L
| have constructed a sewing witt
he lock-stitch movement Some unccr
taintv surrounds this claim and =
| Howe Is the person usually credited will
| This important. indeed, invaluable, H.
| yentiOn.