Thaddeus Fairbanks

Thaddeus Fairbanks
Born (1796-01-17)January 17, 1796
Brimfield, Massachusetts
Died April 12, 1886(1886-04-12) (aged 90)
Cause of death natural causes
Resting place St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Nationality American
Occupation inventor
Known for Fairbanks Scales
Spouse(s) Lucy Peck Barker (1798-1866)
Children Henry (1830-1918),
Charlotte (1837-1869) (m. George Webber).
Parent(s) Joseph Fairbanks
Phoebe Paddock Fairbanks
Relatives brothers
Erastus (1792-1864)
Joseph P. (1806-1855)

Thaddeus Fairbanks (January 17, 1796 – April 12, 1886) was an American inventor. He was an inventor of heating and cook stoves, cast iron plows, and other items.[1] His greatest success was the invention and manufacture of the platform scale, which allowed the weighing of large objects accurately.

Biography

Fairbanks was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1796. In 1815 he moved to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and set up a wheelwright's shop above his father's gristmill.[2] In 1820 he married Lucy Peck Barker. In 1824 he built an iron foundry and his brother Erastus joined him to establish "E. and T. Fairbanks", a partnership to manufacture heating stoves, cast iron plows, and farm implements.[1]

In 1830 Fairbanks and Erastus became interested in the raising and processing of hemp. Fairbanks, being mechanically minded, made and patented a hemp and flax dressing machine at this time. He became the manager of the St. Johnsbury Hemp Company. He also built a set of scales that would measure large loads of hemp accurately, as there were no sure scales at the time that would do this. Upon the success of building these scales his brothers recommended that he make and sell these as town scales.[3] Fairbanks obtained an agent to attempt this and remarked,

“ While sitting up watching for the time to call him, the principle upon which we now build our scales suddenly came into my mind. I told the agent that he must wait a few days until I could make plans and patterns in accordance with my new discovery, and said to my wife that I had just discovered a principle that would be worth more than a thousand dollars.[3] ”

Fairbanks' most famous invention then became the platform scale for weighing heavy objects. These are commonly known as the Fairbanks Scales, for which he patented a design in 1830.[1] Before this time, accurate weighing of objects required hanging them from a balancing beam; as a result, particularly heavy or ungainly objects could not be weighed accurately. A platform scale, if large enough, could weigh an entire wagon. In 1834 Fairbanks and his brothers formed "E. and T. Fairbanks and Company" to manufacture and sell these platform scales.

These scales were well known in the United States and around the world. The company doubled in volume every three years from 1842 to 1857. There was a temporary slow down during the American Civil War, however the business took off again after the war. Their partnership was incorporated in 1874 into a firm known as "Fairbanks Scale Company" and sold on a large scale.[4]

These platform scales revolutionized weighing methods of large loads that has been in use ever since. Portable platform scales are found in almost every hardware store, physician's office, and manufacturing factory throughout the United States. The first railway track platform scale patent was granted to Fairbanks on January 13, 1857, as Patent No. 16,381. In 1916 the company was purchased by Fairbanks, Morse and Company. Ownership of the company has since changed several times, but Fairbanks Scales continue to be made in St. Johnsbury to this day.

Fairbanks received 43 patents in his lifetime with the last one at the age 91. He died on April 12, 1886, and is buried at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.[4]

Awards

In 1826 Fairbanks received a patent on a cast iron plow and a refrigerator. In 1830 he received his patent on the platform scale known as the Fairbanks Scales. In 1842 Fairbanks founded St. Johnsbury Academy with his brother Erastus. He also founded the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, St. Johnsbury Rotary Planetarium, and the Fairbanks Museum.

A painting of Thaddeus Fairbanks can be seen in the lobby of Colby Hall at St. Johnsbury Academy.

Fairbanks received many foreign awards. He was even knighted by the Emperor of Austria and received honors from the Bey of Tunis, and King of Siam.[2]

Fairbanks, Morse and Company national headquarters building
Fairbanks Historical Marker

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Vermont Historical Society Library — Fairbanks Papers, 1815–1889, Doc 1–5, Doc 95". Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  2. 1 2 Duffy, p. 119
  3. 1 2 Ullery, Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of Vermont. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 129–133.
  4. 1 2 Ingham, p. 360

References

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