Elias Howe
1819–1866 (age 47)
Inventor
Biography
Elias Howe was a pioneering inventor whose mechanical innovations transformed domestic life and industrial production. He is best known for his development of the sewing machine, an invention that revolutionized textile manufacturing and brought unprecedented convenience to households across America and the world, fundamentally changing how clothing was produced.
Howe's genius for mechanical innovation earned him recognition and respect during his lifetime, and his inventions continued to benefit society long after his death. He was interred in Green-Wood Cemetery, honored as one of the great inventors of the American nineteenth century whose contributions advanced both industry and daily life.