Elijah McCoy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elijah McCoy
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McCoy c. 1890
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| Born | May 2, 1844 Colchester, Ontario, Canada West, Province of Canada
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| Died | October 10, 1929 (aged 85) |
| Resting place | Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation | Engineer, inventor, tribologist, railroad fireman and oiler |
| Known for | Invention of the steam engine automatic lubricator |
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Elijah J. McCoy (born May 2, 1844 – died October 10, 1929) was a clever engineer and inventor. He was born in Canada to parents who had escaped slavery. When he was young, his family moved to the United States. McCoy became famous for inventing special systems that oiled steam engines automatically. These inventions helped trains and ships run much better. In 2012, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office honored him by naming its first regional office in Detroit after him.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Elijah McCoy was born in 1844 in a place called Colchester, Ontario, Canada. His parents, George and Mildred McCoy, had bravely escaped slavery in Kentucky. They found freedom in Canada in 1837. Elijah had many brothers and sisters, eleven in total!
Schools in Canada were separated by race back then. Elijah went to schools for Black children in Colchester. When he was 15, in 1859, he traveled to Scotland. There, he became an apprentice and studied at the University of Edinburgh. He became a certified mechanical engineer.
Around the time Elijah returned, his family had moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan, in the United States. His father, George, started a business making tobacco and cigars.
McCoy's Engineering Career
When Elijah McCoy arrived in Michigan, he found work with the Michigan Central Railroad. His job was a fireman and an oiler. This meant he had to keep the train's engine running and make sure its parts were oiled.
Even though his job was simple, McCoy was very skilled. He also worked in a small machine shop at home in Ypsilanti. There, he developed new ideas and inventions.
The Automatic Lubricator
Elijah McCoy invented an amazing device called an automatic lubricator. This invention could oil the moving parts of steam engines on trains and ships all by itself. Before this, workers had to stop the engines often to oil them by hand.
He received a patent for his "Improvement in Lubricators for Steam-Engines" in 1872. This invention was a huge help for railroads. It allowed trains to run faster and for longer periods without stopping. This made train travel more efficient and profitable. By 1899, McCoy's lubricator was used on almost all railroads in North America.
More Inventions and Patents
McCoy didn't stop there. He kept making his devices better and creating new ones. He was mentioned in important magazines like the Railroad Gazette. Most of his inventions were about lubricating systems. For example, in 1898, he added a clear glass tube to his lubricator. This allowed people to see how much oil was being delivered.
He continued to invent throughout his life, getting as many as 57 patents! While most were for lubrication, he also invented other things. These included a folding ironing board and a lawn sprinkler.
Elijah McCoy often sold the rights to his inventions to his employers or other investors. This was because he didn't have enough money to build his lubricators in large numbers himself. Later in his career, in 1920, he started his own company called the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company.
The Famous Phrase: "The Real McCoy"
You might have heard the saying "the real McCoy." This phrase means "the real thing" or something genuine and not a copy. Many people believe this popular expression came from Elijah McCoy's oil-drip cup invention.
The story goes that railroad engineers wanted the best lubricators for their trains. They would specifically ask for "the real McCoy system" to make sure they weren't getting a cheaper, less effective copy. This idea is even mentioned in his biography at the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
The phrase "the real McCoy" was first printed in Canada in 1881. Later, an advertisement in Ebony magazine in 1966 also connected the phrase to Elijah McCoy. While there are other ideas about where the phrase came from, its link to Elijah McCoy has become a well-known part of American language.
Family Life and Passing
Elijah McCoy married Mary Eleanora Delaney in 1873. They moved to Detroit when McCoy found work there. Mary McCoy was also an important person. She helped start the Phillis Wheatley Home for Aged Colored Men in 1898.
Elijah McCoy passed away on October 10, 1929, at the age of 85. He died from injuries he got in a car accident seven years earlier. His wife, Mary, had also passed away in that same accident in 1923. He is buried in Detroit Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan.
Elijah McCoy also had a daughter named Kittie L. (McCoy) Edwards from his first marriage to Anna Stewart. Kittie was born in 1869.
Elijah McCoy's Legacy
Elijah McCoy became a very respected figure in the Black community. Booker T. Washington, a famous leader, wrote in 1909 that McCoy had more patents than any other Black inventor at that time. His creativity and inventions have given him an honored place in history that continues today.
Many places and organizations have honored Elijah McCoy:
- In 1974, the state of Michigan placed a historical marker at the McCoys' former home and at his gravesite.
- In 1975, the city of Detroit celebrated "Elijah McCoy Day." They placed a historic marker at his home and named a nearby street after him.
- In 1994, Michigan put another historical marker at his first workshop in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
- In 2001, McCoy was added to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Alexandria, Virginia.
- In 2012, the first satellite office of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office was opened in Detroit, Michigan. It was named the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
- In 2022, a Google Doodle appeared in Canada and the U.S. to celebrate his 178th birthday on May 2.
