Joseph Wickham Roe

Born in 1871, Joseph Wickham Roe was an American engineer, teacher, and writer whose books helped preserve the story of early machine-tool development. He studied at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School, worked in manufacturing, and later became a professor of industrial engineering at New York University.

Roe is best remembered for writing about the history of engineering in a way that stayed practical and readable. His best-known book, English and American Tool Builders (1916), traces the inventors, workshops, and technical ideas behind the machines that transformed manufacturing. He also wrote on steam turbines and management, bringing together hands-on engineering knowledge and historical curiosity.

That mix of technical skill and historical interest gives his work lasting appeal. For listeners drawn to industry, invention, and the human side of technology, Roe offers a clear window into the machinery and minds that helped build modern manufacturing.