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Inventors

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Inventors

One of the American inventors that were denied a patent for his invention is Benjamin Montgomery.  He was an African American inventor who was born a slave in the state of Virginia and in Loudoun County. He served as a slave and was later bought by the future president of the Confederacy named Joseph Davis. Montgomery was highly talented, and this caused him to earn considerable favor. He was skilled and gifted in handiwork and served as a mechanic and general manager in the Mississippi plantation that was opened by his owner. It was there that he was encouraged to further his education.  Because of his hard work, he was granted access to his owner and was able to obtain a private library. He studied quite a lot and learned a lot from his readings. One of the things he learned was how to survey land a skill which he applied to the building and maintenance of levels that offered protection from floods. Additionally, being naturally gifted, he learned to draw architectural plans that enabled him to lend a hand in the construction of several buildings that were located on the plantation. Due to his versatile nature, he was, at one point, appointed to manage farms that belonged to two of the Davis brothers. He was a well-known mechanic and also maintained his own line of credit.

 

In late 1850, Benjamin Montgomery invented a steamboat propeller that was designed to be used in shallow waters. The propeller was made in such a way that the blades entered the water at a certain angle and was the first of its kind to be made.  The direction of the blades allowed the propeller to make more efficient use of power as compared to other propellers.  This propeller was useful for a variety of reasons. First, it allowed people to use water channels to move faster and more efficiently. It also reduced the probability of the steamboats getting stuck in the water. This was of particular importance because, at the time, steamboats were a popular means of transportation among many inland US rivers. Moreover, they were also used to deliver food and various suppliers through shallow waters that connected various settlements, some of which were deficient in food production. If the steamboats got stuck, then the food and supplies that were usually life-sustaining would be delayed for a long time until a viable solution arrived.  This invention, along with other inventions by black Americans, changed society in their perception o African Americans who had been stereotyped to have inferior brains that had created a lot of content for the Negro.

Because of his slave status, he was unable to patent the invention in his name. He was thus unable to benefit from the monopoly of the invention. At the time, slaves were not considered as citizens, and his owner Jefferson Davis and his brother Joseph Davis attempted to patent the invention.  The attorney general rejected their application on the grounds that they were not the true inventors. Jefferson Davis eventually became the president of the Confederate states. He supported legislation that enabled a slave owner to patent an invention by his slave, but this legislation was also rejected. It was only after the Civil war that Montgomery was credited for his works. In spite of this, Montgomery used his wide array of skills to acquire wealth and become one of the wealthiest cotton farmers owing to large acres of land. He also founded a market center that included a steam-driven cotton gin, a store, and press.

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