In the late 1830s, George and Rebecca Latimer fled Virginia. The two fugitive slaves worked their way toward Boston around 1842, where they found a home and freedom. This freedom, however, was uncertain due to the fugitive slave laws. When George was arrested and brought to trial as a fugitive, Bostonians defended George’s right to freedom. He received the support of famous abolitionists, such as William Lloyd Garrison and the former slave-turned-orator Frederick Douglass. When an African American preacher paid $400 to the Virginia slavemaster, George was finally free. By then, he and Rebecca were the parents of four children. Their youngest was the bright Lewis Howard Latimer (1848–1928).
Becoming a Draftsman
Understanding his parents’ plight, especially after the 1857 Dred Scott decision from the Supreme Court, Latimer decided to fight for the Union in the Civil War. In 1864, the young man lied about his age in order to enlist in the U.S. Navy. By the time he was discharged in July 1865, he was a lieutenant.Latimer took a job as an office boy at the Boston firm Crosby, Halsted & Gould, Solicitors of American & Foreign Patents, making $3 per week. While working at the ground level of the firm, Latimer paid close attention to the work of the draftsmen and how they drew each patent. It was mechanical, precise, yet artistic work.
Latimer had been honing his sketching skills for some time, and while working at the firm, he purchased drafting books and tools. At home, he taught himself how to draft patents. After several months, 20-year-old Latimer felt confident to request an opportunity to demonstrate his skills. His work was apparently impressive as he was promoted to draftsman, which came with a weekly salary of $20.
The Great Improvement
Latimer’s work came to the attention of another famous and successful inventor: Hiram Maxim, most famous for his machine gun. Maxim had founded the United States Electric Lighting Company in Brooklyn in 1878. The addition of Latimer in 1880 was a smart move, as Latimer worked to develop not only the company’s light bulbs and lamps, but also to secure its patents. Latimer rose through the ranks and obtained a good deal of experience as an electrical engineer, including overseeing the installation of the company’s lighting in numerous U.S. cities, as well as in Canada and England.In 1882, Latimer made his most significant contribution to the field of modern science. He invented an incandescent light bulb that would burned brighter and longer, and was more affordable than other bulbs on the market. He designed a light bulb that used carbon filament encased in cardboard. His invention was patented on Jan. 17, 1882, and the new version of the lightbulb found its way into homes and office buildings around the world. In fact, the carbon filament light bulb is still used today, although tungsten filament is the primary type.
Edison Calling
In 1884, Maxim’s competitor and America’s greatest inventor, Thomas Edison, hired Latimer. It would prove a wise decision for the Edison Electric Light Company.The draftsman-turned-inventor was placed in charge of securing patents for Edison’s company. His knowledge of the process required by the U.S. Patent Office ensured patent applications were properly filed. Latimer also protected the company against patent infringements in the United States and around the world. Part of this required him to translate information in French and German, and manage the company library. Edison tasked him with being the company’s expert witness concerning patent rights as well. Latimer went on to be an expert witness for Westinghouse and General Electric as well.