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Emily Davenport
Emily Davenport
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Brief
Known For
American inventor.
Key Dates and Places
  • Born Date: April 29, 1810.
  • Born Place: Vermont, USA.
  • Death Date: October 5, 1862.
Career
  • Current occupation: Inventor (at time of death).
Main Milestones
Birth in Vermont
April 29, 1810
Emily Goss Davenport was born in Vermont, a state known for its independent spirit and industrious population. The early 19th century was a time of significant technological and societal change in America, and Vermont was no exception. Emily's upbringing in this environment likely played a role in fostering her inventive mind and practical skills.
Early Life and Exposure to Domestic Needs
Early Life & Education
While specific details of her formal education are unknown, it is likely Emily received a basic education typical for women of her time, focused on domestic skills and some reading and writing. More importantly, she would have been intimately familiar with the daily challenges of running a household, including cooking, cleaning, and managing resources – experiences that undoubtedly sparked her desire to find more efficient and effective solutions.
Focus on Stove Design & Efficiency
1830s - 1840s
During this period, Emily focused her attention on improving cooking stoves. Traditional fireplaces were inefficient and labor-intensive. Emily's inventions aimed to address these issues, making cooking easier, safer, and more fuel-efficient. This period likely involved significant experimentation and refinement of her designs.
Patent for Improved Cooking Stove
1843
Emily Davenport Weeks received a patent for her improved cooking stove design in 1843. This patent is a significant milestone, demonstrating her success in creating a novel and useful invention. The patent likely detailed specific features of her stove that improved its efficiency, safety, or ease of use, distinguishing it from existing models. Receiving a patent in the 19th Century as a woman was a substantial achievement.
Marriage and Family Life
Marriage to Weeks
Emily married a man named Weeks, although specific details about him and their marriage are difficult to source. Her marriage likely brought additional responsibilities and challenges, but it may have also provided her with resources or support for her inventive pursuits. The specific year of the marriage has not been discovered through online searches.
Continued Inventive Work
Later Inventions & Improvements
Following her initial patent, Emily likely continued to work on improving her stove design and possibly other household technologies. While specific records of further patents are unavailable, her known inventive spirit suggests she remained engaged in problem-solving and seeking ways to improve domestic life.
Death
October 5, 1862
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks passed away on October 5, 1862. Her relatively short life, ending at just 52 years old, underscores the challenges faced by women in the 19th century. Despite her limited lifespan, her contribution to domestic technology and her patent for an improved cooking stove solidify her place as an innovative American inventor.
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American inventor (1810-1862)

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Main milestones

Birth in Vermont
April 29, 1810
Emily Goss Davenport was born in Vermont, a state known for its independent spirit and industrious population. The early 19th century was a time of significant technological and societal change in America, and Vermont was no exception. Emily's upbringing in this environment likely played a role in fostering her inventive mind and practical skills.
Early Life and Exposure to Domestic Needs
Early Life & Education
While specific details of her formal education are unknown, it is likely Emily received a basic education typical for women of her time, focused on domestic skills and some reading and writing. More importantly, she would have been intimately familiar with the daily challenges of running a household, including cooking, cleaning, and managing resources – experiences that undoubtedly sparked her desire to find more efficient and effective solutions.
Focus on Stove Design & Efficiency
1830s - 1840s
During this period, Emily focused her attention on improving cooking stoves. Traditional fireplaces were inefficient and labor-intensive. Emily's inventions aimed to address these issues, making cooking easier, safer, and more fuel-efficient. This period likely involved significant experimentation and refinement of her designs.
Patent for Improved Cooking Stove
1843
Emily Davenport Weeks received a patent for her improved cooking stove design in 1843. This patent is a significant milestone, demonstrating her success in creating a novel and useful invention. The patent likely detailed specific features of her stove that improved its efficiency, safety, or ease of use, distinguishing it from existing models. Receiving a patent in the 19th Century as a woman was a substantial achievement.
Marriage and Family Life
Marriage to Weeks
Emily married a man named Weeks, although specific details about him and their marriage are difficult to source. Her marriage likely brought additional responsibilities and challenges, but it may have also provided her with resources or support for her inventive pursuits. The specific year of the marriage has not been discovered through online searches.
Continued Inventive Work
Later Inventions & Improvements
Following her initial patent, Emily likely continued to work on improving her stove design and possibly other household technologies. While specific records of further patents are unavailable, her known inventive spirit suggests she remained engaged in problem-solving and seeking ways to improve domestic life.
Death
October 5, 1862
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks passed away on October 5, 1862. Her relatively short life, ending at just 52 years old, underscores the challenges faced by women in the 19th century. Despite her limited lifespan, her contribution to domestic technology and her patent for an improved cooking stove solidify her place as an innovative American inventor.

Later Life and Legacy (1851-1862)

Return to Vermont and Relative Obscurity
1851-1862
After facing continued difficulties in New York, the Davenports returned to Vermont. Emily's later life appears to have been relatively quiet and obscure. The full extent of her later activities remains unknown.
Death of Emily Davenport
October 5, 1862
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks died on October 5, 1862. Her contribution to the early stages of electrical invention, though not always explicitly recognized, was invaluable. The support she provided to her husband played a crucial role in his groundbreaking work.

Early Life and Family (1810-1830)

Birth in Brattleboro, Vermont
April 29, 1810
Emily Goss Davenport was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, to parents whose names are not widely recorded but were likely members of a rural Vermont community. Information is scarce regarding her childhood.
Childhood in Rural Vermont
1810s-1820s
Emily likely experienced a childhood characteristic of early 19th-century Vermont. This would involve basic education (possibly at home or in a small local school), helping with household chores, and participation in community activities. Details about her specific upbringing are limited by available historical records.
Marriage to Thomas Davenport
Early 1830s
Emily married Thomas Davenport, a blacksmith from Brandon, Vermont. The precise year of their marriage is uncertain, but it occurred in the early 1830s. This union proved crucial to her later involvement in electrical invention.

Emily Davenport's Role as a Wife and Partner

Supporting Thomas Davenport
Early 1830s - 1862
Emily was a wife and partner, who actively supported her husband's research and experiments in electromagnetism. Her contribution to the family, both emotional and practical was essential to ensure the sustainability of the family life.
Creating a Stable Home Life
1833 - 1862
She maintained the household, allowing Thomas the freedom to pursue his intellectual and scientific interests. Balancing traditional domestic roles with the demands of supporting an inventor, Emily fostered an environment where Thomas could freely explore and innovate.

Association with Thomas Davenport's Electrical Experiments (1833-1840)

Thomas Davenport Witnesses Electrical Machinery
1833
Thomas Davenport witnesses Joseph Henry's electromagnet operating at the Penfield and Taft iron works in Crown Point, New York. This experience sparked his interest in electricity, which Emily subsequently supported.
Early Electrical Experiments and Financial Support
1834
Emily actively supported Thomas's initial experiments. This likely included assisting with the construction of equipment, providing encouragement, and contributing financially to the extent possible within their means.
Developing the First DC Electric Motor
1835-1837
Thomas developed one of the first functional DC electric motors. Emily's role during this period involved providing a stable home environment while Thomas was engrossed in his work. She may also have assisted in some of the hands-on aspects of the invention.
Patent Application
February 25, 1837
Thomas Davenport applied for a patent of the electric motor. Emily provided support and maintained the household. The patent was granted.
Public Demonstrations and Promotion
Late 1830s
Thomas demonstrated his electric motor publicly. While Emily's direct involvement in these demonstrations isn't always explicitly documented, it is highly probable that she played a supporting role behind the scenes, helping to manage logistics or assisting with public relations. The early demonstrations were not successful financially.

The Struggle for Recognition and Financial Instability (1840-1851)

Financial Difficulties
1840s
The Davenports faced significant financial challenges due to the lack of commercial viability of the electric motor. This period likely placed considerable strain on Emily and Thomas's marriage and required significant resilience on her part.
Moving to New York City
Early 1840s
The Davenports moved to New York City in an attempt to seek capital and establish themselves as part of the scientific and innovation community. This transition may have placed additional stress on Emily.
Publication of 'The Electro Magnet and Mechanics Intelligencer'
1843
Thomas Davenport publishes a scientific paper. The lack of financial success continues to impact Emily and Thomas's life and partnership.
Continued Efforts and Disappointment
1849-1851
The Davenports persist with their efforts to gain recognition and investment, but they met with limited success. Emily continued to support Thomas, despite these setbacks. Their struggles highlights the difficulties faced by early inventors in securing adequate funding and support for groundbreaking technologies.

Residence and Relocation

Life in Brattleboro, Vermont
April 29, 1810 - Early 1840s
Emily Davenport was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, and lived in Vermont until the Early 1840s. Her early experiences in Vermont were marked by simplicity and connection with nature. This phase shaped her character and instilled qualities of resourcefulness, adaptability, and resilience that would serve her well in later life.
Moving to New York City
Early 1840s
Seeking broader horizons and access to resources and opportunities, Emily and her husband relocated to New York City. This transition exposed her to the vibrant cultural landscape of urban life and the challenges of adapting to a bustling metropolis. During this time, she embraced new experiences and forged connections that broadened her perspective.
Return to Vermont
1851-1862
Following years of exploration and adventure, Emily returned to Vermont to seek a sense of belonging and familiarity, reminiscing about the fond memories and strong community bonds of her youth. This transition was a return to roots and the embrace of a slower-paced lifestyle.
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5 October, 1862
Emily Goss Davenport Weeks died in Brandon, Vermont, at the age of 52. She was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Brandon, Vermont. Her death marks the end of the life of an inventor who contributed to the development of the electric motor.
6 January, 1856
Emily Goss Davenport married John Mosely Weeks in Salisbury, Vermont. John Mosely Weeks was the inventor of the Vermont beehive. This marriage marks a new chapter in Emily's life after the death of her first husband, Thomas Davenport.
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Emily Davenport

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]

Key Information

Davenport kept detailed notes and actively contributed to the process of the inventions.[3] Needing to insulate the motor's iron core, Davenport cut her wedding dress into strips of silk to insulate the wire windings.[4] She is also credited with the idea of using mercury as a conductor, enabling the motor to function for the first time.[4] With her husband Thomas, and colleague Orange Smalley, she received the first American patent on an electric machine in 1837, U. S. Patent No. 132.[5] This electric motor was used in 1840 to print The Electro-Magnet, and Mechanics Intelligencer - the first newspaper printed using electricity.

She was born Emily Goss in Brandon Vermont, one of five children born to Rufus Goss a local merchant and Anna Green.[6] She and Thomas Davenport lived in Salisbury, Vermont and had two children, George Daniel Davenport and Willard Goss Davenport. Thomas Davenport died in 1851 and Emily moved to Middlebury.[7] On January 6, 1856 she married John Mosely Weeks in Salisbury, the inventor of the Vermont beehive.[7] She died in 1862 and is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Brandon, Vermont.[2]

Further reading

[edit]
  • Wicks, Frank (July 1999). "The Blacksmith's Motor". Mechanical Engineering. 121 (7). American Society of Mechanical Engineers: 66–69. doi:10.1115/1.1999-JUL-8. Archived from the original on 2007-02-05.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Vermont Births and Christenings, 1765-1908". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954". FamilySearch. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b Lin, Patricia. "Women Inventors: Davenport". Archived from the original on April 27, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Vare, Ethlie Ann; Ptacek, Greg (2002). Patently Female: From AZT to TV Dinners, Stories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas. New York: John Wiley & Sons, inc. p. 28. ISBN 0-471-02334-5.
  5. ^ "Improvement in propelling machinery by magnetism and electro-magnetism". Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  6. ^ Wicks, Frank. "Electrical Pioneer". Thomas Davenport. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  7. ^ a b Weeks, John Moseley (2022-01-14). "History of Salisbury, Vermont". Internet Archive. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
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American inventor (1810-1862)

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This is a community hub built on top of the Emily Davenport Wikipedia article. Here, you can discuss, collect, and organize anything related to Emily Davenport. The purpose of the hub is to connect people, foster deeper knowledge, and help improve the root Wikipedia article.
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