Sarah Mather

Sarah Mather, originally from Brooklyn, New York, is most known for her invention of the underwater telescope. Born Sarah Porter Stiman in 1796, she was married to Harlow Mather at age 23, in 1819. Several years later, in 1845, April 16th she received a patent for her innovation of the “submarine telescope and lamp”. Unfortunately, much of her personal life is unclear, but she was a mother. At the time of her invention’s patent, the U.S. was engaged in the Mexican-American War, but her work became most valuable in the time of the Civil War. With the beginning of submarine use in warfare, her invention and later improvements [[1]] significantly impacted the defeat of the Confederates [[2]]. She passed away in June 21st, 1868.