Lewis Howard Latimer was born September 4th 1848, in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was famous because his contribution to the creation and patenting of the light bulb and other inventions such as the telephone. He was the youngest of four children and born to George and Rebecca Latimer. Six years before he was born Lewis Latimer’s father George Latimer was captured in Boston as a fugitive. He was defended and eventually he was able to purchase freedom with help from a local minister. Then he began starting a family with Rebecca in a close by town called Chelsea. A small amount of time after the Dred Scott decision during 1875 George Latimer disappeared. After his father was gone Lewis Latimer worked to help his family. Then at 16 lied to work at the US Navy during the civil war he came back because of an honorable discharge, he accepted a job at a patent office. …show more content…
The others thinking he had promise promoted him to a draftsman and from there he created many inventions. Since his talents were much needed at the time because there were many new inventions he ended up working directly with Alexander Graham Bell. Latimer helped draft the patent for the the telephone design created by Alexander Graham Bell. He also helped Thomas Edison and Hiram Maxim in the creation of their lightbulb design. Since he had much knowledge on the subject of engineering he was a much needed partner. He married Mary Wilson in 1873 and had two daughters. The family were members of the Unitarian Church he was constantly involved in Civil War veteran groups. Lewis Latimer also enjoyed playing the flute and writing poetry and plays. Lewis Latimer also taught mechanical drawing to immigrants at the Henry Street Settlement in New York. He died on December 11th, 1928 in Flushing, Queens, New York. His wife died four years before