Martha Jane Coston
Personal Information
Born: 1826
Died: 1904
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
no formal education
Professional Life
Field of Study: Inventor
Institution/Corporation: none
Degrees & Memberships: none
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2006, National Inventors Hall of Fame
Achievements: Signal Flares used by Ships; owner of Coston Manufacturing Company (later called Coston Supply cpmpany); obtained patents in Europe including England, France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden & The Netherlands; sold US patent to the US Navy in 1861; obtained 1st patent in her husband Benjamin s name; obtained patent for improvement (to switch) in her own name
As a widow struggling to feed her 4 children, she discovered her husband's notes on night signalling at the Navy Yard & took years to work on his incomplete signaling ideas, eventually coming up with signal flares
Had already developed red & white flares but after watching a fireworks display in 1858, realized she needed blue flares
April 5, 1859, granted a patent for a pyrotechnic night signal & code system; patent granted to her as the administratrix for her deceased husband (Benjamin) who was named as inventor
1871, obtained a patent in her own name for improvement to the system
The US Navy purchased the original patent for $20,000 at the start of the Civil War & she supplied the flares for less than the manufacturing cost during the war; by the end of the war she estimated the government owed her $120,000 for flares but they only offered her $15,000
Her flares are still used today
Held 2 patents