Isaac M. Singer was an inventor with many patents who invented the first home sewing machine.
Background
Born in Pittstown, New York, to German-Jewish immigrants, Singer left home at age twelve and roamed the Northeast for many years, working variously in carnivals, as an actor, and a mechanic.
Singer was one of six children born to Adam Singer (1772–1855) and his wife Ruth, née Benson. Isaac's siblings were John Valentine Singer (1791–1877), Alexander, Elizabeth (Singer) Colby (1801–1872), Christiana (Singer) Cleveland (1804–1887), and Elijah Singer (1813–1860). His parents divorced in 1821, and Isaac ran away from home a year later, at the age of 11, to join a traveling stage act.
Career
In 1850 Singer was working in a Boston, Massachusetts, machine shop when he was asked to analyze a Blodgett & Lerow sewing machine that had been brought in for repair. Singer developed a new design based on that machine, patented it in 1851, and cofounded (with Edward Clark) the I. M. Singer Company to market it.
Although Singer's machine was a great improvement over existing models, partly because of its continuous-feed feature, he was successfully sued three years later for patent infringement by Elias Howe, who had registered his own sewing machine design in 1846. However, the advent of patent pooling and licensing agreements in 1856 allowed the manufacture of Singer machines to continue with constant improvements.
By 1860 the Singer Manufacturing Company had become the world's largest maker of sewing machines, and by 1863 Singer had received twenty patents for the machines. Singer earned millions of dollars from his company and lived flamboyantly, enjoying rides through New York City's Central Park in his yellow coach with his mistresses-not a proper image for a company trying to sell sewing machines to middle-class housewives. Singer retired from the business in 1863, traveling throughout Europe before settling in Torquay, England, where he built a mansion and encouraged his twenty-four children (legitimate and illegitimate) to visit. Upon his death Singer left behind an estate of $13 million.
In 1863, I. M. Singer & Co. was dissolved by mutual consent; the business continued as "The Singer Manufacturing Company, " in 1887.
In 1871, Singer purchased an estate in Paignton, Devon, England. He commissioned Oldway Mansion as his private residence; it was rebuilt by Paris Singer, his third son from Isabella, in the style of the Palace of Versailles.
Achievements
He made important improvements in the design of the sewing machine and was the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Many had patented sewing machines before Singer, but his success was based on the practicality of his machine, the ease with which it could be adapted to home use, and its availability on an installment payment basis. Singer fathered at least 24 children with various wives and mistresses.
Connections
In 1830, he married Catherine Maria Haley (1815–1884). The couple had two children; William (1834–1914) and Lillian (1841–1912). In 1860, he divorced Catherine on the basis of her adultery with Stephen Kent.
William Singer was, by his marriage to Sarah Singer Webb, a brother-in-law of William Seward Webb (1851–1926) and his wife Eliza Osgood Vanderbilt Webb (1860–1936). William's daughter, Florence Singer married into European nobility, to become Countess van Dyhrn).
Ever unfaithful, Singer began an affair with Mary Ann Sponsler (b. 1818), in 1836, while still married to Catherine. They had 10 children; Isaac Augustus Singer (27 July 1837 – 25 September 1902), Vouletti Theresa (Singer) Proctor (4 January 1840 – 14 December 1913), John Albert Singer, Fanny Elizabeth Singer, Jasper Hamlet Singer, Mary Olivia Singer (1848–1900), Julia Ann Singer, Caroline Virginia Singer, and two others who died at birth.
