Erastus Brigham Bigelow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erastus Brigham Bigelow
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Erastus Brigham Bigelow
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| Born | April 2, 1814 |
| Died | December 6, 1879 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | American |
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Erastus Brigham Bigelow was an amazing American inventor. He lived from 1814 to 1879. He was famous for creating new machines that could weave fabrics. His inventions changed how textiles were made.
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Erastus Bigelow's Early Life
Erastus Bigelow was born in West Boylston, Massachusetts. His dad was a cotton weaver. His parents hoped he would become a doctor. But his father's business struggled. This meant Erastus could not finish his studies. So, he decided to focus on inventing instead.
He showed his talent for inventing very early. When he was just 14, he invented a machine. This machine made piping cord. He even earned $100 for it! Before he turned 18, he designed a special handloom. It was used to make suspender webbing. Around this time, he also wrote a small book. It was called Stenography and taught shorthand writing.
In 1838, he created a power loom. This loom could weave knotted bedspreads. Later, he made another power loom. It wove coach lace. His brother, Horatio, joined him in these projects.
Inventing Carpet Looms
In 1839, Erastus took on a big challenge. He agreed to build a power-loom. This loom needed to weave two-ply ingrain carpets. Before this, these carpets were only made by hand. A handloom could only make about eight yards a day.
With his first power loom, Erastus did even better. It produced ten to twelve yards daily. He kept improving his invention. Soon, his loom could regularly make twenty-five yards of carpet each day!
The Brussels Carpet Loom
His most important invention came later. He created a power loom for weaving "Brussels" and velvet tapestry carpets. These were very fancy carpets. This invention gained a lot of attention. It was shown at the World's Fair in London in 1851. People from all over the world were impressed.
Building a Town
The town of Clinton, Massachusetts, grew a lot because of Erastus Bigelow. Many factories there were direct results of his inventions. These included the coach-lace works and the Lancaster Quilt Company. He also founded the Bigelow Carpet Company. His carpet loom made his name famous everywhere.
Erastus and his brother Horatio are known for founding Clinton. This town was originally part of Lancaster.
Bigelow's Other Contributions
Erastus Bigelow was also a respected member of society. In April 1864, he became a member of the Boston Historical Society. In 1869, he gave the society six large books. These books were called Inventions of Erastus Brigham Bigelow patented in England from 1837 to 1868. They contained details of eighteen patents he received in England. In 1866, he was also chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Lasting Legacy
Erastus Bigelow cared about education and community. In 1846, he started the Bigelow Mechanics Institute. Today, this is known as the Bigelow Free Public Library. It is located in Clinton, Massachusetts. He also helped start the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1861. MIT is a very famous university today.
Erastus Bigelow had one child, a daughter named Helen Bigelow Merriman. She became an artist and collected art. She also helped start the Worcester Art Museum. His grandson, Roger Merriman, became a well-known historian.
