Latimer H. Lewis was a draftsman and inventor. He was born into slavery on September 4, 1826 in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was married to Rebecca, also a slave at the time but belonging to another white slave owner. He escaped to the north on October 1942 along with his wife Rebecca. Both made it to Trenton New Jersey. Soon after their escape Latimer’s slave owner, James B. Gray, traveled to New Jersey to claim his property.
This actually became a very popular case for the anti-slavery movement. William Lloyd Garrison, one of the most famous abolitionists and women’s rights activists of that time and the founder of the American Anti-slavery Society. The case ended with Latimer gaining his freedom. Garrison was able to raise enough funds, $400 to pay James Gray.
Latimer joined the service in 1863. He was 15 years old when he entered the army on September 15th. He was released from duty on July 3, 1865 with an honorable discharge.
He was hired by Crosby Halstead and Gould as an office boy for as little as $3.00- per week. Latimer was a quick learner and soon was quite handy with several sketching tools.
The boss recognized the potential in Latimer and promoted him to lead draftsman.Along with Charles W. Brown, Latimer patented an improvement to water toilet closets which were on board railroad cars. The original toilet closet was first improved upon by William E. Marsh Jr. in 1869, also from New Jersey. He sought to illuminate or reduce the discomfort of the cold and wind. US patent #95597.
Within a ten year period Latimer was earning as much as $20 per week. Latimer was later employed by Alexander Graham Bell as a draftsman in 1876. He drew the necessary sketches for patenting Bells telephone invention.
He relocated with his brother, mother and wife to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1879. He was hired for another draftsman position but this time as an assistant manager at the U.S. Electric Lighting Company. This company was owned by another great inventor and competitor to Thomas Edison.
While he was working, he patented an improved method of making carbon filaments for the light bulb in 1881. He was then offered a job at the rival company of Thomas Edison, The Edison Electric Light Company, in 1884.
