 | This article may contain excessive or inappropriate references to self-published sources .(April 2022) |
Ellen Elgin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1849 |
| Died | c. 1915 (aged c. 66) |
| Occupation | Housekeeper |
| Known for | Inventor of a clothes wringer |
Ellen Elgin (1849 - c. 1915) was an American inventor of a clothes wringer.
Elgin was born in 1849 in Washington, D.C., with few details available about her childhood and earlier life. In her younger years, Elgin spent her time working as a clerk in a local census office as well spending time as a housekeeper where she was a servant to Timothy Nooning and his wife Malintha and their son William. [1]
Elgin's inventions was a clothes wringer, no details are recorded. In 1888, Elgin sold the invention to an agent, for $18. According to Charlotte Smith of The Woman Inventor [notes 1] , when questioned why she decided to sell her invention she replied “You know I am black and if it was known that a Negro woman patented the invention, white ladies would not buy the wringer; I was afraid to be known because of my color in having it introduced in the market, that is the only reason.” [2]
We do not know the name of the agent who bought the invention from Eglin, still less the eventual beneficiary if any. [3] It has been suggested that Cyrenus Wheeler Jr acquired it, and registered it as US patent 459343. [4]
Briefly after the time of Elgin's invention companies such as American Wringer Co. were buying as many wringer patents as they could and manufacturing them for retail. One example of American Wringer's products is shown, very similar to the visual of the patent also shown. Unfortunately, there is no record showing whether Elgin's patent was acquired by American Wringer Co. [5]
Little is known about Elgin's later life though it is assumed[ by whom? ] that Elgin died after 1890, with directory information pointing to her still in Washington, DC, up to 1915.[ citation needed ]
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