Isaac Singer | |
|---|---|
 Singer in 1869 | |
| Born | October 27, 1811 Pittstown, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 1875 (aged 63) Paignton, Devon, U.K. |
| Known for | Founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company |
| Spouses | |
| Partner | Mary Ann Sponsler (1836–1861) |
| Children | 26 |
Isaac Merritt Singer (October 27, 1811 – July 23, 1875) was an American inventor, actor, and businessman. He made important improvements in the design of the sewing machine[1] and was the founder of what became one of the first American multi-national businesses, the Singer Sewing Machine Company.[2]
Many others, including Walter Hunt and Elias Howe, had patented sewing machines[3] 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 installments payment basis.[4]
Singer died in 1875, dividing his $13 million fortune unequally among 20 of his living children by his wives and various mistresses, although one son, who had supported his mother in her divorce case against Singer, received only $500.[2] Altogether, he fathered 26 children by five different women.
- ^ "The Story of Singer Sewing Machines in Scotland". Historic Environment Scotland Blog. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ a b Hunter, Clare (2019). Threads of life : a history of the world through the eye of a needle. London: Sceptre (Hodder & Stoughton). pp. 256–266, 269–271. ISBN 978-1473687912. OCLC 1079199690.
- ^ Forsdyke, Graham. "History of the Sewing Machine". International Sewing Machine Collectors Society. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
- ^ История создания корпорации "Зингер". Биография Исаака Меррита Зингера. [All About Sewing Machines – The History of Singer Corporation] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 June 2008.