author
Thomas Ewbank
1792–1870
An English-born inventor, writer, and public official, he turned hands-on knowledge of tools and machines into lively books for general readers. He is best remembered for writing about practical mechanics and for serving as U.S. Commissioner of Patents in the mid-19th century.
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About the author
Born in Barnard Castle, Durham, on March 11, 1792, he learned metalworking young and spent his early years in trades such as plumbing, brassfounding, and tinsmithing. He moved to New York in 1819, where practical skill and curiosity about technology shaped the rest of his career.
He became known as a writer who explained machinery, inventions, and everyday technology in a clear, approachable way. His best-known works include Descriptive and Historical Account of Hydraulic and Other Machines for Raising Water and The World a Workshop, books that reflect both a mechanic's experience and a wide interest in how useful things are made.
From 1849 to 1852, he served as United States Commissioner of Patents. He also traveled in South America and later wrote Life in Brazil, adding travel observation to the technical and historical subjects that made his work distinctive. He died in New York on September 16, 1870.