Oliver Evans

Born on 13 September 1755 in Newport, Delaware, Oliver Evans was an inventor who helped accelerate the Industrial Revolution in the US. His inventions included machines to speed up the production of cutting textiles and grinding grain. In 1784 Evans linked up several machines to create a production line at a flour mill. The automated production line served as a precursor to the assembly line that Henry Ford would make famous more than a century later. Evans then turned his attention to the steam engine, the invention that was powering the Industrial Revolution in England. He adapted an existing engine design and created a high-pressure steam engine that was useful for many agricultural and industrial applications. His 1805 steam-powered Orukter Amphibolos, or “Amphibious Digger,” was the first self-moving road vehicle in the US. He died in 1819 at age 63.

Date in History: 13 September 1755