Samuel B. McHenry, an inventor, owned a Brush and Broom Factory on Millville Road, in Bloomsburg Pa. Most of the machinery used to produce his brushes was his own invention, and those machines were several of the more than 30 patents he filed over the years.
In 1910 he became infatuated with Katherine Elkins, the "belle of America", who was being courted by an Italian Duke. McHenry had never met Elkins, but he had stalked her for nearly two years, before showing up at her door to propose marriage.
I'm unsure how long McHenry was committed, but he was filing patents again in 1912, so perhaps not for long. He returned to Bloomsburg in 1916, and there he lived in an apartment over his Brush and Broom Company on Millville Road. When he died in 1937, he left an estate of $20,000 (More than $367,000 in today's money) to be split between two orphanages, "if no home for mothers with illegitimate children had been established by then".
To understand his infatuation with Katherine Elkins, and the newspaper coverage that all of this involved, it's important to know more about the "Belle Of America."
Katherine Elkins was the daughter of Stephen Elkins, and the granddaughter, of Henry Gassaway Davis - Lumber and timber barons who founded the town of Elkins in 1890.
Katherine grew up in a mansion, with her father serving in Congress, and also as secretary of War in the Harrison administration. Katherine was close friends with Alice Roosevelt, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt, and also with Countess Cassini, the adopted daughter of the Russian ambassador. Courted by some of the richest and most eligible bachelors of the day, Elkins was called "The Belle Of America".
For years she was courted by the Duke of Abruzzi, grandson of the first King of Italy. The Duke was, according to modern reports, a real life Indiana Jones, having organized expeditions for the first ever ascent of Mount St. Elias in Alaska (America's second highest mountain) and in 1900 coming closer to reaching the North Pole than any other explorer prior. The "Abruzzi Spur" up the K2 in Pakistan is a route he pioneered, and was named for him. On each of his expeditions, the Duke included scientific reports, adding immensely to the world's understanding of botany, geology, and glaciology of the mountain regions. Vittoria Sella, a world famous photographer, accompanied the Duke on many expeditions, and the black and white images of glaciers and mountain landscapes can still be admired today.
Although Katherine may have been considered American Royalty, The Duke was true Italian Royalty, and as such, could not marry a commoner without permission. For months he petitioned the King, but to no avail. Katherine's father, finally fed up, began intercepting the Duke's mail, so that Katherine would no longer receive it. The Duke departed for Pakistan in 1909, but he and Katherine continued to date for four more years, with the Duke pleading with his his family for consent to marry her.
The newspapers followed the courtship obsessively, intruding on the couple at every opportunity, and reporting on their movements constantly.
Finally, in 1913, realizing that approval would never be granted for him to marry Katherine, the Duke released her from their engagement and urged her to marry her childhood sweetheart. (She did marry him, that same year) However, when the Duke died of cancer at age 60 in 1933, his home was found to be filled with photos of Katherine. And Katherine wore an emerald ring that the Duke has given her, as well as a medallion containing a lock of his hair, for the rest of her life.
Samuel B. McHenry was born September 10 1866 in Benton, Columbia County Pa. He was one of 8 children born to Eli & Sarah (Young) McHenry. His first invention was a churn and according to a 1931 issue of the Shamokin Dispatch, "The reception accorded that invention was so chilly that he left home at Benton and went west."
It would have been sometime around 1910 that McHenry, now residing in Chicago, began his infatuation with Katherine Elkins. On On November 14t he showed up at the Elkins home to urge Miss Elkins to marry him. He refused to leave, and the police were called. Newspaper reports state "for two years, through the mails, has been urging matrimony on Miss Katherine Elkins.... Claiming to have met Miss Elkin's "spirit", he is now confined at the National Government Hospital for the insane.... When examined, McHenry said he invented an airship that would revolutionize commerce".
At this time, the newspapers were full of the romance between Elkins and the Duke, and the two were considered engaged, even if not officially so. The Duke was still actively petitioning the King for permission to marry her, and would continue to do so for three more years.
In 1916, McHenry returned to Bloomsburg. I'm unsure how long he was committed to the asylum, but he was submitting patents for brushes (but none for an airship, that I could find) in 1912.
According to the article in the 1931 Shamokin Dispatch, "He came to Bloomsburg in 1916, and since 1924 has operated the brush and broom factory on the Millville Road next to the Irondale Electirc plant. Most of the machinery involved in the manufacture of brushes has been his own invention, and brought several of his patents."
"One firm uses 400 dozen of his brushes annually. Several are customers to the extent of 200 dozen a year."
In 1931 McHenry designed & patented a Tide Water Apparatus.
The newspaper reported that "Columbia Co. Man Expects A Billion From His Patent"
but then it went on to say that several years prior a New York magazine writer had declared that there was a billion dollars waiting for the man who could utilize the power from the ocean tied. Samuel McHenry "yesterday slapped down on his work bench the letters patent for such an apparatus and declared 'Now I'm ready to get part of that billion."
The Way Of The Inventor Is Hard, Says McHenry
In 1931, McHenry was quoted on life as inventor:
"McHenry, 64, his hair is graying, but is eyes are keen and his face unlined. After forty years of fighting for patents, avoiding infringements, and trying to market his devices, he is convinced the way of the inventor is hard.
"The trouble with so many inventions, he declared, is that they are not practical. It costs a lot of money to develop them to the point where they work, and then when you have capital interested in the project, somebody says 'Lookout, you'll get your fingers burned', then you have to start all over again.
"But I've reached the point where I don't have to worry, and some day I'm going to have some fun. Doctors told me I'll live to be 100 if I don't meet with an accident."
"Some day, I'm going to to quit this business, because I don't have to do it, but I'm just not ready just yet."
The Death & Will of Samuel McHenry
Samuel McHenry was stricken ill while wintering in California. He boarded a train to head home to Bloomsburg, but fell unconscious during the journey. He was taken from the train to the hospital in Sunbury and from there to the hospital in Bloomsburg, but he never recovered consciousness
"The executor of the will of the late Samuel B. McHenry, Bloomsburg, moved today to distribute $20,000 left by the manufacturer and inventor to two central Pennsylvania Orphanages.
$20,000 in 1937 is roughly equivalent to $367,000 today.
McHenry wanted a home for mothers will illegitimate children to be established. His will stipulated that his estate be converted to cash and held for two years. giving time for such a home to be established. If no such home was established in that time, then his money was to go to two orphanages; The Odd Fellows Of Sunbury and the Patriotic Order Of Americans Orphanage at Mifflinville. Each received $10,000 in 1937.
Of the more than 30 inventions he patented, it is his "Astronomical Demonstrating Device", patented in 1913 & 1917, that appears on top of his tombstone.
According to the Patent:
"This invention relates to a device for demonstrating the position of the earth with relation to the sun, and has for its object to provide a means for demonstrating in an ocular manner the several positions which the earth occupies in relation to the sun during the several seasons of the year; and the invention has for its further object to provide a device for demonstrating the position of the suns rays on the earth during the several seasons of the year and while the earth is traveling from one extreme position to the other, and for illustrating the manner in which the earth receives its light from the sun.."
His Patents:
, I found 9 of the over 30 patents filed by Samuel B. McHenry. 1899 - Vehicle Hub
1905 - Brush
1909 - Propelling Mechanism for Aerodromes
1910 - Brush (different from the first)
1910 - Boat Propeller
1912 - Dust Mop
1913 - Astronomical Demonstrating Device
1917 - Astronomical Demonstrating Device (appears the same as the 1913 version, but I did not read or look carefully for differences)
1922- Wind Motor
1931 - Tide Water Apparatus
The version of the Astronomical Demonstrating Device on top of the monument appears to be missing the bottom ball. You can see the entire patent for this device here:
http://www.google.com/patents/US1134473
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Harrisburg Daily Independent
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
15 Dec 1911, Fri • Page 1
The Inter Ocean
(Chicago, Illinois)
15 Dec 1911, Fri • Page 1
Shamokin News-Dispatch (Shamokin, Pennsylvania)
12 Mar 1931, Thu • Page 2
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"ASTRONOMICAL DEMONSTRATING DEVICE.
Application filed November 19, 1913.
To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. McHENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Astronomical Demonstrating Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.
This invention relates to a device for demonstrating the position of the earth with relation to the sun, and has for its object to provide a means for demonstrating in an ocular manner the several positions which the earth occupies in relation to the sun during the several seasons of the year; and the invention has for its further object to provide a device for demonstrating the position of the suns rays on the earth during the several seasons of the year and while the earth is traveling from one extreme position to the other, and for illustrating the manner in which the earth receives its light from the sun, it being of course understood that only a portion of the orbit is illustrated in this invention.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device for illustrating the manner in which the earth revolves on its axis in relation to the sun.
With this and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement of parts representing the sun and the earth, and the invention further consists'in certain features of construction and in combinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims."
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