Inventor Henry Blair’s two patents helped increase agricultural efficiency and output in early America. His first invention was a seed-planter that enabled farmers to plant more corn in a shorter period of time. Drawn by a horse, the device planted corn in a checkerboard pattern, which was good for weed control. He received Patent No. X8447 on October 14, 1834. Blair then devised a similar device for planting cotton, which he patented on August 31, 1836. That he signed both patents with the letter “x,” rather than his name, suggests that Blair probably couldn’t read or write and reflects the serious difficulty African Americans faced in trying to obtain formal educations in the early 19th century.
Born in Maryland in 1807, Blair was part of a generation of Americans navigating the complexities of a new and growing republic. The rapid expansion of the U.S. population put enormous pressure on the food supply and increased the demand for cotton cloth. Meanwhile, westward expansion and the advent of the railroad opened up new lands and new markets. Blair’s inventions allowed farmers to increase their output to satisfy demand. #BlackHistoryMonth #InventingModernAmerica
U.S. Patent no. X8447
Title: Seed Planter
Patented: October 14, 1834
U.S. Patent no. 15
Title: Cotton-Planter
Patented: August 31, 1836