Birdsill Holly
Encyclopedia
Birdsill Holly was an inventor. Holly was born in Auburn, New York
. He spent his early years in Seneca Falls, New York
, a major center of water powered industries. His first patent
ed invention was a rotary water pump
.
He left Seneca Falls in 1851 for Lockport, New York
, where he established Holly Manufacturing. Birdsill's factory employed over 500 men, and was one of the largest manufacturing plants in the Northeast at the time. He is known for inventing the rotary pump and district heating
. Birdsill Holly had over a 150 patents when he died, placing him second only to Thomas Edison
in the U.S. for most patents held by one person. He was also a key person in the invention of the Sybill steam engine
, which became the first non-man-powered fire engine.
burned to the ground. There were only two cities that did not incorporate his fire hydrant system in those days: one was Gasport and the other was Chicago, Illinois, both of which experienced major fires.
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
. He spent his early years in Seneca Falls, New York
Seneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
, a major center of water powered industries. His first patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed invention was a rotary water pump
Water Pump
Water Pump is one of the neighbourhoods of Gulberg Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is near main Water Pump that supplies fresh water to the city of Karachi....
.
Life
Lockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
, where he established Holly Manufacturing. Birdsill's factory employed over 500 men, and was one of the largest manufacturing plants in the Northeast at the time. He is known for inventing the rotary pump and district heating
District heating
District heating is a system for distributing heat generated in a centralized location for residential and commercial heating requirements such as space heating and water heating...
. Birdsill Holly had over a 150 patents when he died, placing him second only to Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
in the U.S. for most patents held by one person. He was also a key person in the invention of the Sybill steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
, which became the first non-man-powered fire engine.
Death
Birdsill Holly died on April 27, 1894 at 7pm. He had suffered from a long illness and the cause of death was listed as heart failure.Lore
A rumor purports that on the day he died, the nearby town of Gasport, New YorkGasport, New York
Gasport is a hamlet located in the Town of Royalton in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,248 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from observed natural gas and the historic Erie Canal port at that location...
burned to the ground. There were only two cities that did not incorporate his fire hydrant system in those days: one was Gasport and the other was Chicago, Illinois, both of which experienced major fires.