Edward S. Renwick

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Edward Sabine Renwick (b. 1823- d.1912) was a mechanical engineer, inventor and patent expert.

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[edit] Early life

He lost most of his eyesight while working as a patent examiner. He worked for a time in Wilkes-Barre as an ironmaster, but failed.

[edit] Family connections

His father, James Renwick (1790-1862), was a Professor of Columbia University. His mother, Margaret, was a member of the Brevoort family of New York City. One brother, James Renwick, Jr., was a leading US architect, designer of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grace Church, Vassar College, The Smithsonian Institution and the Croton Aqueduct. The other, Henry, was a former steamboat inspector and co-author with his father. His grandmother Jean Jeffrey/Jeannie Jaffray of Lochmaben was the Blue-Eyed Lassie mentioned in Robert Burns' poem I gaed a waefu' gate yestreen [1]. Charles Wilkes was an uncle of his.

He married Elizabeth Anne Brevoort in 1862.

[edit] Inventions

He formulated at least 25 inventions over his lifetime, including a combination chicken brooder and incubator, and a self-binding reaping machine. He sued Cyrus McCormick over royalties, but was awarded none.

His patent dates stretch from 1850 (age 27) to 1904 (age 81).

[edit] Great Eastern

One of his greatest achievements was the designing and supervising, with his brother Henry, of a repairing of a break in the bilge of the Great Eastern steamship with a floating caisson, clamped to the hull. It was 104 feet (32 m) long by 15 feet (4.6 m) wide and 8 feet (2.4 m) deep.

[edit] Later life

He later settled in Millburn, New Jersey in 1867. He built a house at 140 Old Short Hills Road which is still standing and occupied. He died there in 1912 at the age of 89.

[edit] Sources

[edit] Resources