Mary (Lewis) Donnell (1809 - 1898)

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Mary Lewis Donnell

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In 1809, in the year that Mary (Lewis) Donnell was born, on May 5th, Mary Dixon Kies (March 21, 1752 – 1837) became the first recipient of a patent granted to a woman by the United States. She had developed a technique for weaving straw with silk and thread to make hats. While her hats were popular at first, fashion changed and she died penniless.

In 1866, when she was 57 years old, on May 10th, the "banker's bank" - London bank Overend, Gurney and Company - collapsed, beginning the Panic of 1866. Unemployment went up to 8% and wages went down. Only about 16% of joint-stock companies - a company whose stock is owned jointly by the shareholders - weathered the Panic.

In 1879, when she was 70 years old, on October 22nd, Thomas Edison tested the first practical electric light bulb. Lasting 13½ hours before burning out, it used a "a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires". He applied for a patent on November 4th, receiving the patent in January 1880.

In 1887, she was 78 years old when on July 1st, the assembly for the supports of the Eiffel Tower began . A wrought iron lattice tower, it was designed and built by Gustave Eiffel - who also contributed to the building of the Statue of Liberty. There are 18,000 pieces in the Eiffel Tower - which had to be built separately and then assembled in place - with rivets - to complete the Tower.

In 1898, in the year of Mary (Lewis) Donnell's passing, on March 24th, Robert Allison of Pennsylvania became the first person to buy an American-built car. He bought a Winton, which he had seen in an advertisement in Scientific American. The Winton, built in Ohio, was made by hand and came with a leather roof, padded seats, gas lamps, and tires made by B.F. Goodrich.