Rufus Porter was born in West Boxford, Massachusetts back in 1792 to Tyler and Abigail. Apparently, he was a brilliant child as he started school at 4. The family moved to Maine when he was 9. At 12 he attended Fryeburg Academy for a whole 6 months.
In 1815, he married Eunice before moving to New Haven, Connecticut in 1816. Between 1825-1845 he was a muralist decorating some 160 homes, and inns covering several states.
In his spare time, he experimented with a wind-powered gristmill, a washing machine, a corn sheller, a fire alarm, a rope-making machine and a camera. He also invented clocks, railway signals, churns, a distance measuring appliance, a horsepower mechanism, a churn, a life preserve, a cheese press and a revolving rifle. His revolving rifle was sold to Samuel Colt for 100.00. As far as I can tell he never applied for a patent on any of his inventions.
However, what he did in 1845 will forever put him in the history books for in that year he started a new weekly publication called the Scientific American which is still in publication to this day.. Until tomorrow I bid for you a successful day filled with plenty of smiles and a laugh or two.
Comments(16)