Early Inventors of Marion

 Marion and Crittenden County has had several inventions during the past from our own local citizens that are interesting to read about.

The following is an interesting article written in August 1906 for The Crittenden Record Press.

Crittenden County has sailed down the sea of time for many years without fear and with much favor. And now it has been discovered that we have inventors in our midst.

• Mr. A. Dewey of the Marion Milling Company invented some kind of milling machinery and exchanged his ideas for several thousand dollars.

• Mr. John Morse invented a button case and they are in use today. Quite a number of inventions have been evolved from Marion thought domes.

•   Mr. J. LeRoy Shrode at present Superintendent of the Marion Electric Light & Ice Company has obtained a patent for an automatic oil cup which solves a world of problems for engineers. It promises to do away with hot boxes, bearings and the like. Upon examination you cannot tell the Shrode cup from the ordinary cup. They look alike and all work alike on stationary and movable engines. The “Shrode Automatic Oil Cup" is an appliance which automatically opens and feed oil faster the hotter the bearing gets. The beauty of this can readily be seen. The more oil the greater the tendency to cool the bearing and the cooler the bearing the less oil flows which of course is limited to a certain amount. The peculiar operation of this cup, especially the automatic mechanism, is still a secret for which Mr. Shrode is certainly justifiable. Mr. Shrode has already been offered $1,200 for his invention by one of the largest oil cup manufactures in the United States. He refused the offer and says whenever they place another nought to the right side of the two already there he will sell.  Mr. Shrode is practically a new-comer to Marion. It must be something in this peculiar Crittenden atmosphere that generates distinction among her sons and daughters and newcomers.

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The old Presses shared with its readers other creative and ingenious ideas and inventions through the years.

• In 1895 Mr. Fred Clement, of this county, is the inventor of a machine and wagon tongue supporter upon which the government has recently granted letters patent. A half interest in the patent has been sold to Mr. L. W. Cruce. Most farmers, and especially those using machinery, have felt the want of something to support or “hold up” the tongue of machines, such as wheat drills, reapers, wagons and such like.  The simple device patented by Mr. Clement meets the demand in every particular; it is inexpensive, and as handy as “a pocket in a shirt.” It will shortly be put before the public by Messrs. Clement and Cruce, and will doubtless meet with a hearty reception.

• In July of 1900, Mr. Thomas Barger of this county has secured a patent on a tobacco succorer. Its design is to remove the succor from a tobacco plant so completely that it never grows back. When a crop of succors have been once removed with his little, simple machine, the grower’s work of “succoring” is done for the season.  Mr. Barger secured the right a short time ago and has not yet put his patent on the market, but he has been exhibiting its work and tells us the farmers are well pleased with it, and feels confident that he will have a large sale for it next season.

• In March 1904, Mr. R. L. Yeakey, has invented a reproducer for a phonograph which, he claims, has a softer and a larger volume of sound than that of the Edison machine. When he gets his recorder perfected he will apply for a patent.

• March 1922. The energetic and business men of Marion know a good thing when they see it. John Glass, one of our townsmen, recently invented and patented a device for delivering and receiving mail from fast moving trains at stations where they make no stops.  Mr. Glass showed his invention to a number of business men of Marion who immediately took advantage of an opportunity to purchase same and have formed and incorporated a company for the purpose of marketing this device for the use of the railroad. The present system used by the railroads in unsatisfactory and expensive. This new invention will no doubt be adopted by every railroad in the country.  The company has employed A. Gustafson of Chicago to install the first trial station, which will be located near the Kentucky Fluor Spar Mill on the I.C.R.R. This project will be watched with great interest.

• April 1927. Former Marion Man Patents New Invention. Reginald Roy Hicklin, of San Antonio, Texas, has patented a new style propeller for use in aviation. Mr. Hicklin’s invention, among other things, eliminates much of the excessive vibration. The propeller also adjusts its pitch automatically to the speed of the propeller.

• September 1927. The United States Patent Office announced that William N. Perryman, of Marion, has obtained a patent on a novel mine ventilating apparatus. The application was filed and the case prosecuted by Clarence O’Brien, local patent attorney.  The invention provides an apparatus to suck bad air and gases out of the mine in an efficient manner. It is comparatively simple in construction and capable of being easily installed, according to the information furnished by the attorney.

Its interesting to find we have had many inventors in our past history.