author
J. Franklin (John Franklin) Reigart
1813–1884
A 19th-century Lancaster writer and patent specialist, he brought together practical knowledge, local history, and a strong interest in American invention. He is remembered for works on patent law, the life of Robert Fulton, and the story of the first United States flag.
1 Audiobook
The History of the First United States Flag and the Patriotism of Betsy Ross, the Immortal Heroine That Originated the First Flag of the Union
by J. Franklin (John Franklin) Reigart
About the author
Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, John Franklin Reigart built a varied career that reached beyond writing. A local biographical source describes him as a man of strong intellectual energy who studied civil engineering, worked on early Pennsylvania railroad projects in the 1830s, served as surveyor for Lancaster, and published the first map of the city.
He also became closely associated with the world of invention and patents. His Inventor's and Patentee's Guide and Pocket Record helped explain United States patent law and Patent Office procedure for inventors, showing how directly his writing connected to practical problems of the day.
Reigart is best known to many readers as the author of The Life of Robert Fulton (1856), a substantial biography of the steamboat pioneer, and as the author of The History of the First United States Flag. Together, those books show his lasting interest in American ingenuity, national symbols, and the people who helped shape the early United States.