Emily Davenport
Emily Goss Davenport | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Emily Goss April 29, 1810 |
| Died | October 5, 1862 (aged 52) Brandon, Vermont |
| Citizenship | American |
| Known for | inventing the electric motor |
| Spouse(s) | Thomas Davenport John Mosely Weeks |
| Children | 2 |
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks (April 29, 1810 – October 5, 1862) was an American inventor from Vermont. Together with her husband Thomas Davenport, they invented an electric motor and electric locomotive around 1834.[1][2][3]
Early Life and Education
Emily Goss was born in Brandon, Vermont, to Rufus Goss, a local merchant, and Anna Green. She was one of five children in the Goss family. Details about her education are scarce, but it is evident that she was well-educated and possessed a keen interest in scientific endeavors.
Marriage to Thomas Davenport and Collaborative Inventions
In 1827, Emily married Thomas Davenport, a blacksmith from Williamstown, Vermont. The couple settled in Salisbury, Vermont, and had two sons: George Daniel Davenport and Willard Goss Davenport. [2] Despite her commitment and dedication to her husband and family, Emily decided to retain her maiden name in addition to her husband’s surname; a choice that was considered highly unusual for the time.
Thomas Davenport became fascinated with electromagnetism after witnessing an electromagnet designed by Professor Joseph Henry in 1833. [2] Determined to understand and harness this new technology, he purchased the magnet and, with Emily's assistance, meticulously dissected it to study its construction and function. [4]
Emily's contributions were crucial during this period. She maintained detailed records of their experiments and played an active role in problem-solving. Notably, when faced with the challenge of insulating the motor's iron core, the couple ran into a problem. While insulated wire was necessary for the process, only bare copper wire was available. [4] Famously, Emily sacrificed her own wedding dress by cutting it into strips of silk to insulate the wire windings. [2] Additionally, she proposed the use of mercury as a conductor, a suggestion that enabled the motor to function effectively for the first time and informed the element’s later applications in electric appliances. [5] By 1834, the Davenports had successfully developed an electric motor and an electric locomotive. In 1837, along with their colleague Orange Smalley, they received the first American patent for an electric machine (U.S. Patent No. 132). [1] This motor was later used in 1840 to print "The Electro-Magnet, and Mechanics Intelligencer," the first newspaper printed using electricity. [2]
Later Life and Second Marriage
Following Thomas Davenport's death in 1851, Emily moved to Middlebury, Vermont. On January 6, 1856, she married John Moseley Weeks, an agriculturalist, writer, and inventor in his own right, known for creating the "Vermont Beehive." The couple resided in Salisbury, Vermont, where Weeks authored the "History of Salisbury, Vermont" in 1860.
Death and Legacy
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks passed away on October 5, 1862, in Brandon, Vermont, at the age of 52. She is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Brandon.
Emily's collaborative efforts with Thomas Davenport laid the groundwork for future developments in electric motor technology. Her innovative thinking and willingness to contribute personal resources underscore her dedication to scientific advancement. Despite the challenges faced during their experiments, Emily's perseverance and ingenuity remain a testament to her significant yet often overlooked role in the invention of the electric motor. The echoes of her impact can still be felt today, with mercury’s application as a conductor of electricity still present in the switches and fluorescent light bulbs of homes across the world. [3] Her contribution to the invention of the electric motor, too, has had widespread effects across the various fields of electrical engineering.
Further reading
[edit]- 1. Davenport, T. (1837, February 25). Improvement in propelling machinery by magnetism and electro-magnetism.
- 2. Keck, N. (2023, July 8). The most influential Vermont inventor you’ve never heard of. Vermont Public. https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-07-07/the-most-influential-vermont-inventor-youve-never-heard-of
- 3. What is Mercury. Indiana Department of Environmental Management. (2022, May 27). https://www.in.gov/idem/health/common-environmental-health-threats/mercury/what-is-mercury/
- 4. Wicks, F. (1999, July). The Blacksmith’s Motor. The American Society of Mechanical Engineering. https://web.archive.org/web/20070205211500/http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/july99/features/blacksmith/blacksmith.html
- 5. Vare, E. A., & Ptacek, G. (2002). Patently female: From AZT to TV dinners: Stories of women inventors and their breakthrough ideas. Wiley.
References
[edit]- ^ "Vermont Births and Christenings, 1765-1908". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Lin, Patricia. "Women Inventors: Davenport". Archived from the original on April 27, 2009.
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