Elias Howe Jr. was an American inventor best known for creating the modern lockstitch sewing machine. Born on July 9, 1819, in Spencer, Massachusetts, he lived until October 3, 1867.

Early Life and Career: Howe spent his childhood and early adult years in Massachusetts, where he apprenticed in a textile factory in Lowell beginning in 1835. After mill closings due to the Panic of 1837, he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to work as a mechanic with carding machinery.

The Sewing Machine Innovation: It was in Boston where he found work in a machinist's shop and began tinkering with the idea of inventing a mechanical sewing machine. His invention proved to be five times faster than the swiftest hand sewers. On September 9th, 1846, Howe earned a patent for the sewing machine, a tool which revolutionized the manufacture of clothing.

Business and Patent Battles: Howe sold his rights in England for a small amount, a mere 250 pounds sterling, and moved there to continue perfecting his invention. After years of lawsuits over patent rights, Elias Howe and three companies formed the first patent pool in American industry in 1856, called the Sewing Machine Combination.

Impact: The sewing machine had enormous economic impact. Brooks Brothers was able to cut down the waiting time for their first class overcoats from three weeks to just six days after Howe's sewing machines first hit the market, and hats could be made ten-times faster on a sewing machine than by hand.

Later Life: Elias Howe was the first person from Bridgeport to sign up for the Civil War, serving as a private in Company D of the 17th Connecticut Volunteers, though he never served in combat due to poor health.