Lewis Howard Latimer

Entrepreneur

Birthday September 4, 1848

Birth Sign Virgo

Birthplace Chelsea, MA

DEATH DATE Dec 11, 1928 (80)

#57272 Most Popular

About

Son of escaped slaves who became a master draftsman and inventor.

Before Fame

He enlisted in the Union Navy at age 15 with the help of a forged birth certificate.

Trivia

He helped Alexander Graham Bell make the patent drawings for his telephone.

Family Life

His father was ordered back to his master, but the local community pulled together to buy his freedom.

Associated With

His services were enlisted by the famed machine-gun inventor Hiram Maxim.