Maria E. Beasley
Personal Information
Born: 1836
Died: 1913
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
unknown
Professional Life
Field of Study: Entrepreneur; Inventor
Institution/Corporation: Standard Oil Company
Degrees & Memberships: none
Awards & Achievements
Awards: none
Achievements: 7 barrel making machine patents; 2 life raft patents; also invented an improved foot-warmer, an anti-derailment device for trains, a steam generator for train cars, baking & roasting pans
1882, received a patent for an improved life raft
1978, received a patent for a barrel hooping machine
Between 1878 & 1898, received 15 patents-those listed above plus a footwarmer, anti-derailment device for trains, 7 for barrel making machines, 2 for life raft improvements, a steam generator for trains, & baking & roasting pans
Was actually able to earn a living from her inventions
Founded 2 companies for the design & manufacture of barrels; later sold one factory for $1.4 million, the equivalent of $42,222,963 in 2021)
Age 13, built a sailboat that could safely transport her & her dog; also built several functioning watermills by herself
Her paternal grandfather was a distillery owner & told her of the need for better barrel making
Licensed her 1st barrel making patent to the Standard Oil Company for $175/month for a single machine
Mid-1890s, built a short experimental train line around her property in chicago to be able to study ways to redesign trains to support & sustain speeds up to 100 mph