~ ROCHESTER'S HISTORY ~
AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE
- ROCHESTER FIRSTS & RECORDS
- 1st U. S. Patent, 1790 - Issued to Samuel Hopkins, who later became a resident of Pittsford.
- Tomatoes, as a vegetable, were first grown in Rochester. Mr. Tousey, of Virginia, had raised them from seed, for use at his own table at Christopher's Tavern. Mr. Tousey offered the treat to fellow guests, but the new food was not appreciated. Mr. Thurlow Weed, one of the guests, served tomatoes in Alabama in 1830.
- First successful Reaping Machine, patented in 1833, had no competition for several years, and was a major factor in reducing the backbreaking labor required for harvesting. Developments by two other men from Monroe County, James F. Gordon and Samuel Johnston created even more successful machines by the turn of the century.
- The first abolitionist group was founded here in 1838.
- Amelia Bloomer developed "bloomers" in the 1840's
- Jesse Hatch developed baby shoes in the 1840's
- Absalom Bishop and Thayer Codding invent the fountain pen in 1849.
- Marshmallow - First created a candy salesman named Mr. Marsh.
- First curve ball in baseball history was thrown by Richard Willis - The opposing team demanded a fairness ruling, Mr. John Stebbins, an attorney was the umpire. In response to his decision, he was forced to jump a fence and made his get-away in a carriage.
- A Workable Machine Gun was invented by Dr. J. Requa, a dentist. Several rifle barrels were placed in a row on a frame and fired simultaneously. There were 30 Requa Rifles used in the siege of Charleston SC.
- The Mail Chute was developed by James G. Cuttler, a former Mayor of Rochester, in 1879
- The Fish Hatchery - Seth Green, watching the habits of fish in the Genesee as a boy developed the concept that fish could be bred in a protected environment, then released into the wild, restocking 'dead' lakes. Mr. Green is also credited with the invention of the Fishing Reel in the 1860's, which he used as an aid to study the fish.
- The Voting Machine and Railway Signals both owe their creation to Angus C. Gordon.
- Street-car Transfer - J. Harry Stedman's 1891 idea was later to become the bus transfer.
- Dr. J. B. Beers creates the first Gold tooth in his Reynolds Arcade office in 1843.
- 1852 Jesse Hatch invents a machine for sewing the uppers to the soles of shoes.
- A Rotary Snowplow was devised by DeWitt Hawley
- A Compression Gasoline Engine for use in automobiles was patented by George Selden. He first applied for his patent in 1879, and it was granted in 1895, and confirmed by he courts in 1901. Legal battles with Henry Ford resulted in the patent being withdrawn by the government. Selden did build his Selden Automobiles, but they were not successful.
- Maude S. breaks the world record for the mile at The Rochester Driving Park on Aug. 11, 1881. Owned by a Vanderbilt, the 2:10 1/2 time will stand for six years.
- The first machine for making cigarettes was invented by Oscar A. Allisin
- Gynecological and barber's chairs, were both devised by George W. Archer.
- A Lantern was devised by Charles Bergener. A later development by Leonard Henkle, the 'Rochester Lamp' was Rochester's first manufactured product with a world wide reputation.
- Bevel Gear Cutting Machine - William Gleason's small machine shop on Brown's Race, has grown into the world leading producer of his invention which has become a much more sophisticated and computer controlled machine tool.
- The 'Grand Union' is built at the Four Corners for Rochester and Sodus Bay and Rochester and Eastern Interurbans in 1893. It is the first 12-way rail crossing in the world.
- Pearl B. Wait developed Jell-O in 1897
- George and Francis French developed "French's Mustard" in 1904
- A Time Lock for Safes was invented by James Sargent.
- An Automatic Telephone Exchange was devised by Almon Strowger.
- Water Cart Street Cleaning system developed
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Iris Diaphragm Shutter invented by Edward Bausch
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