Fiddlebase
Mr. BLISS of Worcester
?
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Directory
July 1853 and 1854
William R. Bliss
SHOE MAKING OLD and NEW
by Fred A. Gannon
William R. Bliss. a Worcester shoe manufacturer, had the rights to use the invention for stitching leather. Mr. Bliss was one of the good friends who provided Howe with money to fight for his patent rights.
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The Invention of the Sewing Machine
by Grace Rogers Cooper
In 1852 he advertised territorial rights and machines, but apparently did not realize any financial success until he sold a half interest in his patent to George W. Bliss
THE SERVANT IN THE HOUSE
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SEWING MACHINE
By Frederick L. Lewton
The next year a Massachusetts man named George W. Bliss was persuaded to advance the money needed to carry on the suits for infringement.
History of the Sewing Machine
by James Parton
The person to whom he was finally indebted for means of securing his rights was George W. Bliss, of Massachusetts, who was prevailed upon to buy Mr. Fisher's share of the patent and to advance the money needful for carrying on the suits.
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See below Advertisement (1852-53)
William Wallace Bliss
LIVING FATHERS OF THE TRADE (1904)
Men Who Have Seen Their Pioneer lnventions Perfected by Others
Mr. Bliss only lived about two years to enjoy his good fortune, leaving his estate to his son who was about twenty years of age. His son, Wallis, died within two years of his father’s death and the patent was resold to Mr. Howe
Is Wallis a nickname for Wallace?
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THE SEVENTH EXHIBITION of THE MASSACHUSETTS CHARITABLE MECHANIC ASSOCIATION
(BOSTON SEPTEMBER, 1853)
58. Nichols & Bliss, Boston. Class 3d. Howe's Patent
This is a good working Machine, though more complicated than others of a later invention. Mr. Howe, we believe, is one of the earliest pioneers in this department of labor-saving mechanism, and were it our province to examine beyond the actual merit of the Machine exhibited, it might become our duty materially to vary the conclusion to which we arrive in regard to relative merit.
John Brooks Nichols & William Wallace Bliss (?)
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extract from :
THE SERVANT IN THE HOUSE ** A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SEWING MACHINE
By Frederick L. Lewton
...Elias Howe landed in New York in April, 1849, after an absence from America of two years, with but half a crown in his pocket.
...Howe found to his surprise upon returning home from his experiences in London, that the sewing machine had become celebrated, though his part in its invention appeared to have been forgotten....
...The first step was to get back from England his precious first machine and his patent papers...
....The machine and papers were located, redeemed from pawn and returned to Howe within a few months. Howe wrote to the infringers of his patent, warning them to stop their manufacture and offering to sell them licenses to continue the use of his devices. All but one seemed willing to accept his proposition but that one persuaded the others to resist and Howe was soon forced to return to the courts for redress.....
....Near the end of 1850 he was in New York looking after the construction of 14 of his machines in a shop on Gold Street, near which he opened a small office.
Several machines were sold to a bootmaker in Worcester, several others were operated by garment manufacturers on Broadway and one of the machines was exhibited at the fair held in
the Castle Garden in October, 1851....
....He endeavored to arouse the interest of George Fisher, who was still the owner of a half interest in the patent, but Fisher had had enough of the sewing machine and would not advance any more money. He was willing to sell his half of the patent for what it had cost him up to that time and Howe looked around for someone to buy out Fisher's interest.
In February, 1851, George S. Jackson, Daniel C. Johnson, and William E. Whiting became joint owners with Howe of his patent rights and helped him to procure witnesses in the furtherance of numerous suits.
The next year (November 1852) a Massachusetts man named George W. Bliss was persuaded to advance the money needed to carry on the suits for
infringement. This was done as a speculation, but so weak was his faith that he required as security against loss a mortgage upon the farm of the elder Howe...
...The patent, however, had been so little productive of revenue that Howe was able, in spite of the cost of the numerous suits for infringement he had started, upon the the
death of his partner, George Bliss, to buy his half interest, and thus became, for the first time, the sole owner of his patent.
This occurred just when it was about to yield an enormous revenue...
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On May 18, 1853, Elias Howe granted his first royalty license to Wheeler, Wilson & Company. Within a few months licenses were also granted to Grover
& Baker; A. Bartholf; Nichols & Bliss; J. A. Lerow; Wooldridge, Keene, and Moore and
Amas B. Howe, the brother of Elias.
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