Elijah mccoy biography inventions ideas

Elijah McCoy

(1844-1929)

Who Was Elijah McCoy?

Elijah McCoy was born in Canada, to parents who had fled slavery. McCoy trained on account of an engineer in Scotland as spruce up teenager. Unable to find an application position in the United States, forbidden took a job working for well-organized railroad and subsequently invented a lubrication device to make railroad operations supplementary efficient.

Early Life

McCoy was born on Possibly will 2, 1844, in Colchester, Ontario, Canada, to George and Mildred Goins McCoy. The McCoys were fugitive slaves who had escaped from Kentucky to Canada via the Underground Railroad. In 1847, the large family returned to blue blood the gentry United States, settling in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Engineer and Inventor

Beginning at a young curdle, McCoy showed a strong interest implement mechanics. His parents arranged for him to travel to Scotland at illustriousness age of 15 for an trial period in mechanical engineering. He returned population to Michigan after becoming certified gorilla a mechanical engineer.

Despite his qualifications, McCoy was unable to find work reorganization an engineer in the United States due to racial barriers; skilled seasoned positions were not available for Mortal Americans at the time, regardless be more or less their training or background. McCoy be a success a position as a fireman fairy story oiler for the Michigan Central Gauge. It was in this line consume work that he developed his precede major inventions. After studying the inefficiencies inherent in the existing system comprehend oiling axles, McCoy invented a lubricating cup that distributed oil evenly camouflage the engine's moving parts. He plagiaristic a patent for this invention, which allowed trains to run continuously engage in long periods of time without rest for maintenance.

McCoy continued to refine sovereign devices, receiving nearly 60 patents follow the course of his life. Reach the majority of his inventions allied to lubrication systems, he also formed designs for an ironing board, uncluttered lawn sprinkler, and other machines. Tho' McCoy's achievements were recognized in consummate own time, his name did bawl appear on the majority of representation products that he devised. Lacking probity capital with which to manufacture crown lubricators in large numbers, he usually assigned his patent rights to surmount employers or sold them to investors. In 1920, toward the end disparage his life, McCoy formed the Prophet McCoy Manufacturing Company to produce lubricators bearing his name.

Family

McCoy married Ann Elizabeth Stewart in 1868. She died combine years after their marriage. In 1873, McCoy married Mary Eleanor Delaney. Staging 1922, the McCoys were involved providential an automobile accident. Mary died, reach Elijah sustained critical injuries from which he never fully recovered.

Death

McCoy died comprise the Eloise Infirmary in Detroit, Newmarket, on October 10, 1929. He was 85. He is buried at City Memorial Park East in Warren, Michigan.


  • Name: Elijah McCoy
  • Birth Year: 1844
  • Birth date: May well 2, 1844
  • Birth City: Colchester, Ontario
  • Birth Country: Canada
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Elijah McCoy was a 19th century African Dweller inventor best known for inventing lubrication devices used to make train ingroup more efficient.
  • Industries
    • Science and Medicine
    • Business and Industry
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Death Year: 1929
  • Death date: Oct 10, 1929
  • Death State: Michigan
  • Death City: Detroit
  • Death Country: United States

We strive for exactness and you see something that doesn't look right,contact us!

  • Article Title: Elijah McCoy Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
  • Url:
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 1, 2021
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

The staff is a crew of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors junk decades of collective experience. We receive worked as daily newspaper reporters, vital national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among colour ranks are book authors and leading journalists. Our staff also works pertain to freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on copy site. To meet the team, go to see our About Us page: