Singer, Isaac Merrit (1811-1875), an American inventor and manufacturer, did more than anyone else to make the sewing machine a universal household appliance. His skill as a machinist led him to see how the machine could be made more efficient and marketable.
Singer was born on Oct. 27, 1811, in Pittstown, New York. He worked as a machinist before turning to inventing. He developed some mechanisms similar to mechanisms in Elias Howe’s sewing machine. But Singer’s machine, unlike Howe’s, was capable of continuous stitching. In 1851, Howe took Singer to court, accusing him of breaking patent laws. The two reached a settlement, and Singer retained the right to produce his machines.
Singer promoted the product energetically and used an early form of mass production. By 1860, his Singer Manufacturing Company had become the largest sewing machine maker in the world. In 1863, after making a fortune, he retired to England. He died on July 23, 1875.
