History of Hartland, (Livingston County) Michigan United States of America

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Biographies:

Biography of Isaac Wixom Lamb

Isaac Wixom Lamb, inventor, was born in Hartland, Mich., Jan. 8, 1840; son of the. Rev. Areswell and Phebe (Wixom) Lamb; grandson of the Rev. Nehemiah and Hannah (Palmer) Lamb, and a descendant of the Rev. Valentine Wightman who settled in Groton, Conn., about 1550. In 1852, with his brother Martin Thomas, he began to make whip-lashes by hand for the neighbors. On June 28, 1859, he obtained a patent on a machine for braiding whiplashes. His next experiment was on a knitting machine which would knit either fiat or tubular work and on which it was practicable to widen or narrow. He obtained his first patent on his knitting machine Sept. 15, 1868. Two companies were organized in 1865, one at Springfield, Mass., and one at Rochester, N.Y. and they removed to Chicopee Falls, Mass., in 1867. Patents were obtained in Great Britain, France and Belgium. Mr. Lamb sold his interests and became secretary and treasurer of the Lamb Knitting company of Concord, Mich. He was ordained to the Baptist ministry in 1869, and was pastor of a church in Perry, Mich., until May, 1899, when he again engaged in manufacturing knitted goods at Perry.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor