 Oliver Evans was born in Newport in September, 1755. In
1771 he apprenticed with a wheelwright where he learned basic mechanics. A bright
and ambitious young man, Evans applied himself to creating useful inventions. In
1783, he developed a method which would automate the processes of grain mills. At
the time, millers had to carry bags of grain to the upper levels of their mill so that
gravity would feed the grain to the millstone. In 1784 Evans and his brother erected
a mill along Red Clay Creek to demonstrate his machinery.
Engraving of Oliver Evans, n.d.
from Greville and Dorothy Bathe, Oliver
Evans: A Chronicle of Early American Engineering, 1935
HSD Library Collection |
