David Wilkinson was an American mechanical engineer and inventor.
Background
David Wilkinson was born on January 5, 1771 in Smithfield, R. I, the third son of Oziel and Lydia (Smith) Wilkinson. He was a descendant of Lawrance Wilkinson, a prominent Quaker, who came from England about 1645 and settled in Providence, R. I. Oziel, David's father, was the son of John and Ruth (Angell) Wilkinson and was born in Smithfield (now Slatersville), R. I, on January 30, 1744. He was a blacksmith by trade but was an inventive genius as well and at an early period engaged in the manufacture of a variety of iron products. Appreciating the great advantages of water power in the pursuance of his business, he moved with his family to Pawtucket, R. I, about 1783 and established a plant there for the manufacture of farm tools, domestic utensils, and cut nails. The following year he added an anchor-forging shop; still later, a metal rolling and slitting mill; and gradually thereafter with the aid of his sons built up an establishment which by 1800 was recognized as the hub of the iron and machinery manufacturing business of New England. As his sons became active in the concern, Oziel turned to other ventures, and particularly, as a partner with his son-in-law Samuel Slater, to the manufacture of cotton, in which enterprise he continued active until his death on October 22, 1815.
Career
David Wilkinson entered his father's manufactory in Pawtucket at the age of thirteen, and before reaching his majority had perfected a number of ingenious devices used in the several shops. About 1786 the elder Wilkinson began making iron screws for clothier's and oil presses and the method of cutting and finishing the screw threads was of particular interest to David. He worked on the problem for many years and finally on December 14, 1798, obtained a patent for a machine for cutting screw threads which incorporated the slide rest. This was one of the first, if not the first, invention of this important machine tool in America, but the basic invention must be credited to Henry Maudslay of England (see Dictionary of National Biography). In 1788-89 Wilkinson assisted in the development of Slater's cotton machinery through the construction of the iron parts; later he made the patterns and cast the wheels and racks for the locks of the new canal at Charlestown, Massachussets About 1800, when the elder Wilkinson became interested in the manufacture of cotton, David and his brother Daniel established an iron manufactory of their own in Pawtucket, known as David Wilkinson & Company. A thriving business was soon built up in the manufacture of textile machinery, the Wilkinson products being sold in practically every state on the Atlantic seaboard. David added a small blast-furnace to the establishment and engaged in the casting of solid cannon. He perfected, also, a mill to bore cannon by water power, the feature of the machine being that the boring tool was stationary and the cannon revolved against it. After developing a manufacturing business which included the construction of all sorts of textile machinery and other iron products, Wilkinson lost everything in the financial panic of 1829. On the advice of friends and at the instigation of the founders of the town, he moved with his family to Cohoes, N. Y. , near Albany, to start a new business. He was unsuccessful in this enterprise, however, and from 1836 until his death he wandered about with his family, getting employment wherever he could, chiefly in canal and bridge construction work in New Jersey, Ohio, and Canada. Busy with other things, Wilkinson never paid much attention to his slide-rest invention of 1798. The tool, however, was widely adopted, particularly in the manufacture of firearms by the United States government. Feeling entitled to remuneration, in 1848 Wilkinson petitioned Congress for some financial reward for his invention. His petition was granted in August of that year and he received the sum of $10, 000. He died at Caledonia Springs, Ontario, Canada, and was buried at Pawtucket.
Achievements
Connections
His wife was Martha Sayles, a direct descendant of Roger Williams, by whom he had four children.