Samuel R. Scottron
Samuel Raymond Scottron (February 1841 – October 14, 1908)[1][2] was an African-American inventor and businessman who lived in Brooklyn, New York.
Samuel R. Scottron | |
|---|---|
Scottron | |
| Born | 1841 |
| Died | October 14, 1908 (aged 0) |
| Citizenship |
|
| Occupation(s) | Inventor, businessman |
| Spouse |
Anna Maria Willett (m. 1902) |
| Children | 6 |
Scottron received six patents throughout his career for inventions including an improved mirror, a curtain rod,[3] a supporting bracket, a pole tip, and two designs for window cornices.
Life and career
Samuel Scottron was born in Philadelphia in 1841 and moved with his family to New York City as a child. He completed grammar school when he was 14 years old and later received his engineering degree from Cooper Union in 1878.
During the American Civil War, Scottron was the sutler for the 3rd United States Colored Infantry and almost went bankrupt. To recoup his finances, he operated grocery stores in Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida, and then a barber shop in Springfield, Massachusetts, where his parents were originally from.[4]
Scottron served on the Brooklyn Board of Education and was a leader in the Republican Party. He advocated for the abolition of slavery in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Scottron served as Chairman of the Cuban Anti-Slavery Committee, which met at the Cooper Institute.
Family
Scottron married Anna Maria Willett, a New Yorker, in 1863; they had six children.[5][3] Scottron died of natural causes on October 14, 1908, at the age of 67.[3]
Inventions
- U.S. patent 76,253 Improved Mirror, March 31, 1868
- U.S. patent 224,732 Adjustable Window Cornice, February 17, 1880
- U.S. patent 270,851 Cornice, January 16, 1883
- U.S. patent 349,525 Pole Tip, September 21, 1886
- U.S. patent 481,720 Curtain Rod, August 30, 1892
- U.S. patent 505,008 Supporting Bracket, September 12, 1893
Sources
References
- ^ Carney Smith, Jessie (2007). "Samuel R. Scottron, 1843–1905, Inventor, entrepreneur". Notable Black American Men. encyclopedia.com. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ Ancestry.com. New York, New York, Extracted Death Index, 1862–1948 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c Dixon, Euell A. (2018-09-20). "Samuel Raymond Scottron (ca. 1843-1905)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ "Scottron, Samuel R. | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
- ^ 1880 Federal Census for Kings County (New York) Enumeration District 20, Sheet 2, Lines 21–30 (1061 Lafayette Street, Brooklyn, New York)