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'''John Wellington Starr''' (1822? &ndash; November 21, 1846) was an [[United States|American]] [[inventor]] and pioneer in development of the [[incandescent light bulb]]. Starr was born in [[Cincinnati]]. In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), Starr filed a U. S. [[patent caveat]] for an incandescent lamp and [[Electrical generator|generator]].<ref>Wrege, Charles D. ''J.W. Starr: Cincinnati's Forgotten Genius'', Cincinnati Historical Society Bulletin 34 (Summer 1976), pp.102-120. Retrieved 16 February 2010.</ref>


'''John Wellington Starr''' (1822? &ndash; November 21, 1846) was an American [[inventor]] and pioneer in development of the [[incandescent light bulb]].
Starr appears never to have demonstrated his electric lamp while in Cincinnati. In February 1845 he and a business associate, Edward Augustin King (d.1863), set out for England to secure British and French patents for the invention. King described construction and use of a lamp in September 1845, and British patent No. 10,919 was granted to King on November 4, 1845. The patent described two styles of lamp. In one, a [[platinum]] [[Incandescent_light_bulb#Filament|strip]] (or filament) was operated in a glass enclosure, but was not in a [[vacuum]]. In the second type, a [[carbon]] strip held between two clamps was enclosed in a vacuum in the space above a column of [[mercury (element)|mercury]], in an arrangement similar to a [[barometer]]. The mercury column was required because [[vacuum pump]]s of the time could not provide the high vacuum needed to operate a carbon emitter for a practical duration. The construction of Starr's carbon lamp allowed the strip to be replaced when it failed, making the lamp renewable.


==Life==
Starr and associates demonstrated the two types of lamp in England, including a multi-branched lamp with a bulb to represent each of the twenty-six states then part of the United States. However, Starr had contracted [[tuberculosis]] (then called ''pthisis pulmonalis''), and died on November 21, 1846.<ref>[http://home.frognet.net/~ejcov/starr.html John Wellington Starr]. Retrieved from Frognet.net website, 8 March 2010.</ref> After Starr's death, King and Saunders returned to the United States. It appears neither King nor Saunders could continue developing the lamp without Starr's knowledge. King later was killed while serving in the [[American Civil War]]. Sanders travelled extensively but left for [[Santo Domingo]] in 1877. As a consequence, none of Starr's partners were available for testimony in the [[patent interference|lawsuits]] surrounding [[Thomas Edison]]'s lamp patents.
Starr was born in [[Cincinnati]].

In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), he filed a U.S. [[patent caveat]] for an incandescent lamp and [[Electrical generator|generator]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Wrege |first=Charles D. |author-link=Charles D. Wrege |title=J.W. Starr: Cincinnati's Forgotten Genius |journal=Cincinnati Historical Society Bulletin |volume=34 |date=Summer 1976 |pages=102–120 }}</ref> He appears never to have demonstrated his electric lamp while in Cincinnati.

In February 1845 Starr and a business associate, Edward Augustin King (d.1863), set out for England to secure British and French patents for the invention. King described the construction and use of a lamp in September 1845, and British patent No. 10,919 was granted to him on November 4, 1845{{Third-party inline|date=May 2021}}. The patent described two styles of lamp. In one, a [[platinum]] [[Incandescent light bulb#Filament|strip]] (or filament) was operated in a glass enclosure, but was not in a [[vacuum]]. In the second type, a [[carbon]] strip held between two clamps was enclosed in a vacuum in the space above a column of [[mercury (element)|mercury]], in an arrangement similar to a [[barometer]]. The mercury column was required because [[vacuum pump]]s of the time could not provide the high vacuum needed to operate a carbon emitter for a practical duration. The construction of Starr's carbon lamp allowed the strip to be replaced when it failed, making the lamp renewable.

Starr and his associates demonstrated the two types of lamp in England, including a multi-branched lamp with a bulb to represent each of the twenty-six states then part of the United States. However, Starr had contracted [[tuberculosis]] (then called ''pthisis pulmonalis''), and died on November 21, 1846.<ref>[http://home.frognet.net/~ejcov/starr.html John Wellington Starr] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010110307/http://home.frognet.net/~ejcov/starr.html |date=2016-10-10 }}. Retrieved from Frognet.net website, 8 March 2010.</ref> He was buried in [[Key Hill Cemetery]], [[Birmingham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jqrt.org/jqc/ss/ss_searches.html |title=Burial Records |publisher=Jewellery Quarter Research Trust |accessdate=2018-08-01 }}</ref>

==Later developments==
After Starr's death, King and Saunders returned to the United States. It appears neither King nor Saunders could continue developing the lamp without Starr's knowledge. King later was killed while serving in the [[American Civil War]]. Sanders travelled extensively but left for [[Santo Domingo]] in 1877. As a consequence, none of Starr's partners were available for testimony in the [[patent interference|lawsuits]] surrounding [[Thomas Edison]]'s lamp patents.


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:1822 births]]
[[Category:1820s births]]
[[Category:1856 deaths]]
[[Category:1856 deaths]]
[[Category:Incandescent light bulbs]]
[[Category:Incandescent light bulbs]]
[[Category:American inventors]]
[[Category:19th-century American inventors]]
[[Category:Discovery and invention controversies]]
[[Category:Discovery and invention controversies]]
[[Category:Burials at Key Hill Cemetery]]



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Latest revision as of 12:12, 14 March 2024

John Wellington Starr (1822? – November 21, 1846) was an American inventor and pioneer in development of the incandescent light bulb.

Life[edit]

Starr was born in Cincinnati.

In 1844, in association with John Milton Sanders (1821?–1877?), he filed a U.S. patent caveat for an incandescent lamp and generator.[1] He appears never to have demonstrated his electric lamp while in Cincinnati.

In February 1845 Starr and a business associate, Edward Augustin King (d.1863), set out for England to secure British and French patents for the invention. King described the construction and use of a lamp in September 1845, and British patent No. 10,919 was granted to him on November 4, 1845[third-party source needed]. The patent described two styles of lamp. In one, a platinum strip (or filament) was operated in a glass enclosure, but was not in a vacuum. In the second type, a carbon strip held between two clamps was enclosed in a vacuum in the space above a column of mercury, in an arrangement similar to a barometer. The mercury column was required because vacuum pumps of the time could not provide the high vacuum needed to operate a carbon emitter for a practical duration. The construction of Starr's carbon lamp allowed the strip to be replaced when it failed, making the lamp renewable.

Starr and his associates demonstrated the two types of lamp in England, including a multi-branched lamp with a bulb to represent each of the twenty-six states then part of the United States. However, Starr had contracted tuberculosis (then called pthisis pulmonalis), and died on November 21, 1846.[2] He was buried in Key Hill Cemetery, Birmingham.[3]

Later developments[edit]

After Starr's death, King and Saunders returned to the United States. It appears neither King nor Saunders could continue developing the lamp without Starr's knowledge. King later was killed while serving in the American Civil War. Sanders travelled extensively but left for Santo Domingo in 1877. As a consequence, none of Starr's partners were available for testimony in the lawsuits surrounding Thomas Edison's lamp patents.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Wrege, Charles D. (Summer 1976). "J.W. Starr: Cincinnati's Forgotten Genius". Cincinnati Historical Society Bulletin. 34: 102–120.
  2. ^ John Wellington Starr Archived 2016-10-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved from Frognet.net website, 8 March 2010.
  3. ^ "Burial Records". Jewellery Quarter Research Trust. Retrieved 2018-08-01.