The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-05-15
Jefferson as an Inventor.
Originated Several Devices, But Would
Not Patent Them.

Not PATENT mem.
W. E. Curtiss writes as follows in
the Chicago Record Herald:
Thomas Jefferson was himself an in
ventor, but, consistent in his belief in
the natural right Of all mankind to
share useful Improvements without re-
straint, he never applied for patent.
His first original device was fold
ing chair, which he used to carry to
church in early days, when services
were held IN the court house at Char
lottesville and the seating convenien-
ces were insufficient. His grandson
tells US how he would mount his
horse early in the morning during the
latter years of his life, canter down
the mountain and across the country
to the site of the university, and
spend long day there, directing the.
work, carrying with him a walking
stick of his own invention, now fam
iliar to all, composed of three sticks,
which being spread out and covered
with piece of cloth, made tolerable
seat Mr.. Bacon, his overseer, in his
"reminiscences says: His servants
came with him and brought seat, a
camp stool of his own invention.
After MI. Jefferson got old and feeble
servant used to go with him and
carry that stool so that he could sit
down while he was waiting for any
body, or attending to any work that
was going on"
He invented the revolving chair,
now familiar and necessary article
of furniture in all Offices and counting
rooms. The Federalist newspapers
used to call it "Mr. Jefersons'
whiri-i-gig, and declared that he
at once.''
He also designed light wagon or
sulky with comfortable seat and two
wheels, with which he frequently drove
around the country when he was too
feeble to ride horseback.
Mr. Jefferson invented the copying
press He writes to Mr. Madison In
1887: "Having a great desire to have
a portable copying machine, and hav-
ing studied over some experiments
with the principle of large machines
made to apply in the smaller one, 1
planned one in England and had
it made. It answers perfectly. I have
set workman making them, and they
are of such demand that he has his
hands full. send you one. You must
expect to make many essays before you
succeed perfectly. A soft brush, like
a shaving brush, is more successful
than sponge" He also sent copy
ing press to the Marquis de Lafayette
as present.
Another of his inventions was a
hemp break, which he says has long
been wanted by the cultivators of
hemp, and as soon as I can speak Of
it's effect with certainty [ shall describe
it anonymously in the public papers,
in order to forestall the prevention OF
it's use by some interloping patentee. -
He lnventedla pedometer to measure
the distance he walked. He sent one
to James Madison, with the following
explanatory letter: '.To the loop at
the bottom of it you must sew tape,
and at the other end of the tape a
small hook. Cut little hole in the
bottom of your left watch pocket, pass
the hook and tape through it and down
bet between the breeches and drawers, and
fix the hook on the edge of your knee
band, an inch from the knee buckle;
then hook the instrument itself by its
swivel hook, on the upper edge OF your
watchfpocket. Your tape being ad1us-
ted in length, your steps will be ex-
actly measured by the instrument.
His most important Invention was
plow. Mr. Bacon, his overseer, says:
'.He was very ingenious. He invented
a plow that was considered great I'M
provement on any that had ever been
used. He got great many premrums
and medals for it. He planned his
OWN carriage, buildings, garden and
fences and good many other things.
He was nearly always busy upon
some plan or model -
Jefferson's plow received gold
medal in France In l79O. During ms
European tours he had been struck
with the waste of power caused by the
bad construction of the plows IN COM
mon use. The part of the plow called
the mold board" which IS above
the snare and turns over the earth,
seemed to him the chief seat OF error,
and he spent many of the leisure hours
of his last years in France IN evolving
a mold board which should offer the
minimum of resistance. He sent the
original design to the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of the Seine. The medal
which they awarded for it followed
the inventor to New York, and eight
cen years afterward the society sent
him a superb plow containing his I'M
provement.
Prof. A. II. Miller. of Furman Uni