history help needed

kc5cychris · 01-29-2010, 03:56 PM

Hey all My sone is working on a school project that requires him to write a paper on an Black inventor by the name of Michael Harney, I know that his patent was from August 1884. This is all the imformation that we have been able to locate thus far.
If anyone can offer a book or website that we may be able to gain some insite to this gentlemans life. I would appreciate the help
Thank you in advance
Chris

dreams · 01-29-2010, 04:48 PM

Wow, that's a hard one. I never found anything beyond a sentence or two about his improvement to the lantern and the below.
http://www.hierographics.org/yourhis...ventions_2.htm

Good luck (I think I would try to find another inventor to write a paper about

)

Bremen Cole · 01-29-2010, 04:49 PM

listed on this http://www.reflectionsinblackmuseum....nventions.html page as inventing an improvement to lanterns

He is listed on this http://inventors.about.com/od/blacki...k_historyH.htm pas as well.... for a lantern...

In my quick search I was not able to come up with any personal data about him. Seems in improved the lantern of the day.... and that is about it. Hope someone else can help you more....

Bremen Cole · 01-29-2010, 04:57 PM

Found a little more

3) Lantern - Michael C. Harney

Michael C. Harney made significant improvements to wicks, and was granted a patent for a lantern/lamp on August 19, 1884.

The St. Louis, Missouri resident created a wick raising device to improve the efficiency of the lantern.

dsvick · 01-29-2010, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

Hope someone else can help you more....

In other words Bremen hopes someone else can shine some light on the subject for you.... get it!? light... lantern!!!

sorry - couldn't help it

Bremen Cole · 01-29-2010, 06:48 PM

Mr. Vick you are too sharp of wit

I wish there was more light to be shown on Mr. Harney...

I love the pic of the document. Notice the witnesses.... these were real people, putting their sign on this mans invention. The drawing shows the lantern of the day, and points out the improvement to the wick mechanism Mr. Harney gave. I know I'm weird, but I love stuff like that. It makes people who came before me, truly alive to me.... I can see them signing this drawing, and the pride Mr. Harney must have had....

Okay, I'm done.

calvin-c · 01-29-2010, 08:40 PM

My spouse is an amateur genealogist. My interest isn't in the 'begats' that seem to be the standard output of genealogists, but rather in the stories behind them. I don't care that my great-great-grandfather, for example, was born in Ohio in 1829 & died in Virginia in 1862, for example, I'm more interested in things like: what did he do? (most people in those days were farmers-but there were storekeepers, laborers, etc). Why was he in Virginia? Did he move or was he in the military (since this was in the middle of the Civil War)? If he moved, why? Was it a single move, or did he wander and simply end up in Virginia?

Of course some of this is answered (or assumed) by checking his family (his wife stayed in Ohio so presumably he ended up in Virginia because he was in the military). But there are many others besides this one (that I made up anyway) about whom I have questions that aren't so easy to answer-and that's what interests me about genealogy, and about history in general-the stories, not the lists of names, dates, and places.

calvin-c · 01-29-2010, 08:46 PM

More relevant, I found a Wikipedia entry that says he's also know an Michael C Harvey. (Definitely talking about the same person as they mention the patent-as with all Wikipedia entries though, can't be certain it's 100% accurate, but checking under that name might be worth a shot.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_C._Harvey

kc5cychris · 01-29-2010, 09:58 PM

you all seem to have what I also have so far. It just seems that this young inventor only showed his hand at this one point in his life. We have been unable to find info on his age at the time where he lived things of this nature to allow a 7th grader to do a one page report. I have even solisited the St. Louis Public Library for help. so I appreciate each of you for your effots and will continue looking as well, some where, some one has a bit of info even 2 pages is more that the 1 or 2 sentences that we have located thus far. I am begining think that I may have to speak with the teacher on Monday that assigned this task without a little prior knowlege herself..

ardeegee · 01-29-2010, 10:57 PM

Just have him find a paper on George Washington Carver, and everywhere you find the word "peanut" replace it with "lantern."

kc5cychris · 01-29-2010, 11:08 PM

That mite just be the ticket.

ardeegee · 01-29-2010, 11:24 PM

And while you are replacing the peanuts with lanterns, you might as well pirate it up. Say, maybe this essay:

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/carver.htm

plugged in here:

http://www.syddware.com/cgi-bin/pirate.pl

01-29-2010, 03:56 PM	#1
kc5cychris Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 497152 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South Georgia, USA Device: PRS-600, PRS-900	history help needed Hey all My sone is working on a school project that requires him to write a paper on an Black inventor by the name of Michael Harney, I know that his patent was from August 1884. This is all the imformation that we have been able to locate thus far. If anyone can offer a book or website that we may be able to gain some insite to this gentlemans life. I would appreciate the help Thank you in advance Chris

01-29-2010, 04:48 PM	#2
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,110 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	Wow, that's a hard one. I never found anything beyond a sentence or two about his improvement to the lantern and the below. http://www.hierographics.org/yourhis...ventions_2.htm Good luck (I think I would try to find another inventor to write a paper about)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Advice Needed from Local History Writers	MV64	Writers' Corner	13	04-26-2010 08:39 PM
New here and help needed	MarkNL	Which one should I buy?	3	02-07-2010 03:46 PM
help needed	Debby_r	Introduce Yourself	5	07-14-2009 04:52 PM
Oz help needed	Nate the great	Workshop	24	07-06-2009 07:49 PM

01-29-2010, 04:49 PM	#3
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	listed on this http://www.reflectionsinblackmuseum....nventions.html page as inventing an improvement to lanterns He is listed on this http://inventors.about.com/od/blacki...k_historyH.htm pas as well.... for a lantern... In my quick search I was not able to come up with any personal data about him. Seems in improved the lantern of the day.... and that is about it. Hope someone else can help you more....

01-29-2010, 04:57 PM	#4
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	Found a little more 3) Lantern - Michael C. Harney Michael C. Harney made significant improvements to wicks, and was granted a patent for a lantern/lamp on August 19, 1884. The St. Louis, Missouri resident created a wick raising device to improve the efficiency of the lantern.

01-29-2010, 06:48 PM	#6
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	Mr. Vick you are too sharp of wit I wish there was more light to be shown on Mr. Harney... I love the pic of the document. Notice the witnesses.... these were real people, putting their sign on this mans invention. The drawing shows the lantern of the day, and points out the improvement to the wick mechanism Mr. Harney gave. I know I'm weird, but I love stuff like that. It makes people who came before me, truly alive to me.... I can see them signing this drawing, and the pride Mr. Harney must have had.... Okay, I'm done.

01-29-2010, 08:40 PM	#7
calvin-c Guru Posts: 787 Karma: 1575310 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Moon+ Pro	My spouse is an amateur genealogist. My interest isn't in the 'begats' that seem to be the standard output of genealogists, but rather in the stories behind them. I don't care that my great-great-grandfather, for example, was born in Ohio in 1829 & died in Virginia in 1862, for example, I'm more interested in things like: what did he do? (most people in those days were farmers-but there were storekeepers, laborers, etc). Why was he in Virginia? Did he move or was he in the military (since this was in the middle of the Civil War)? If he moved, why? Was it a single move, or did he wander and simply end up in Virginia? Of course some of this is answered (or assumed) by checking his family (his wife stayed in Ohio so presumably he ended up in Virginia because he was in the military). But there are many others besides this one (that I made up anyway) about whom I have questions that aren't so easy to answer-and that's what interests me about genealogy, and about history in general-the stories, not the lists of names, dates, and places.

01-29-2010, 08:46 PM	#8
calvin-c Guru Posts: 787 Karma: 1575310 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Moon+ Pro	More relevant, I found a Wikipedia entry that says he's also know an Michael C Harvey. (Definitely talking about the same person as they mention the patent-as with all Wikipedia entries though, can't be certain it's 100% accurate, but checking under that name might be worth a shot.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_C._Harvey

01-29-2010, 09:58 PM	#9
kc5cychris Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 497152 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South Georgia, USA Device: PRS-600, PRS-900	you all seem to have what I also have so far. It just seems that this young inventor only showed his hand at this one point in his life. We have been unable to find info on his age at the time where he lived things of this nature to allow a 7th grader to do a one page report. I have even solisited the St. Louis Public Library for help. so I appreciate each of you for your effots and will continue looking as well, some where, some one has a bit of info even 2 pages is more that the 1 or 2 sentences that we have located thus far. I am begining think that I may have to speak with the teacher on Monday that assigned this task without a little prior knowlege herself..

01-29-2010, 10:57 PM	#10
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Just have him find a paper on George Washington Carver, and everywhere you find the word "peanut" replace it with "lantern."

01-29-2010, 11:08 PM	#11
kc5cychris Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 497152 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South Georgia, USA Device: PRS-600, PRS-900	That mite just be the ticket.

01-29-2010, 11:24 PM	#12
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	And while you are replacing the peanuts with lanterns, you might as well pirate it up. Say, maybe this essay: http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/carver.htm plugged in here: http://www.syddware.com/cgi-bin/pirate.pl