July 1, 1854

Patent Office Rules in Favor of Elias Howe

Region:
Greater Boston

On this day in 1854, the battle ended over who owned the patent for the first sewing machine. A federal commission ruled that the patent held by Elias Howe of Cambridge was valid and ordered all other sewing machine makers to pay him royalties. The tide had turned in the long "sewing machine war," and in the fortunes of Elias Howe. As the sales of sewing machines exploded, he went from poverty to wealth. Ironically, however, it is Isaac Singer, one of the men on the losing side of the case, who is most closely associated with the invention of the sewing machine. It was Singer, working in a Boston shop, who made improvements to Howe's design that resulted in a commercially viable machine. In the summer of 1846 Elias Howe packed up a model of his new invention and traveled from Cambridge to Washington, D.C. On September 10th, he was granted a patent for the first two-thread lock-stitch sewing machine.

Related Moments

Mass Moments is a project of Mass Humanities, whose mission is to support programs that use history, literature, philosophy, and the other humanities disciplines to enhance and improve civic life throughout the Commonwealth.

Please consider helping us towards our goals with a donation today.

Interested in sponsoring Mass Moments?

Please add 2 and 6.