Theodore Timby
Theodore Ruggles Timby | |
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Brooklyn, New York, US | |
Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.) |
Theodore Ruggles Timby (5 April 1819 – 9 November 1909) is credited as the inventor of the revolving
Throughout the 1840s, Timby perfected a revolving gun turret for use on land or water. He constructed a 21-foot-long (6.4 m) model and brought it to Washington but met with little success, as war was not imminent. However, with the outbreak of the Civil War, Timby brought his model to the Abraham Lincoln White House, and this time met with a much warmer reception.
Meanwhile, a Swedish-born architect named John Ericsson had submitted a proposal to build an ironclad warship for the Union Navy. The Monitor was built for $195,000 and was sold to the Union Navy for $270,000. Timby received a 5 percent commission of $13,500.[2]
Timby spent much of his life in
There was an effort in the early 1900s to give credit to Timby for his turret invention. The Washington Post stated in 1909 shortly after his death that "John Ericsson has for years monopolized all of the credit for inventing and building the Monitor, but as a matter of fact he was joint inventor with Theodore Timby."[4]
References
- ^ People's Book of Biography by James Parton, 1868, p. 233
- ^ The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, various issues 1902
- ^ Saratoga County History: Invented in Saratoga County
- ^ The Washington Post, articles in 1902 and 1909
External links
- Theodore Timby and the Revolving Turret - New York Times
- Saratoga County Industries, Railroads, and Inventions