Margaret Knight: American Inventor

Margaret Knight (1838-1914) was an American inventor, called by many "the most famous 19th century woman inventor."  Born in York, Maine to James and Hannah, her father died when Margaret was a small child.  Margaret went to school until she was 12, then worked in a cotton mill from ages 12-56.  While living in Springfield, Massachusetts, Knight invented a machine that folded and glued paer to form the flat bottom brown paper bags that are used by everyone today, worldwide.

Knight built a wooden  model of the device, but need a working iron model to apply for a patent.  Her design was stolen by Charles Annan, who was working in the machine shop where her iron model was being made.  Knight filed a successful interference lawsuit, and was awarded the patent in 1871.

Knights other inventions include a numbering machine, window frame and sash (1894), several devices relating to rotary engines.  Her original box-making machine is in the Smithsonian.  Margaret never married and died at age 76.  She was awarded an honorary plaque recognizing her as the "first woman awarded a U.S. patent" and holder of 87 U.S. patents.  We're not sure why she got this recognition, because she was not the first female patent holder.  The first was Hannah Slater, wife of industrialist Samuel Slater, who invented two-ply thread, becoming in 1793 the first American woman to be granted a patent.