According to his hometown newspaper, my 2nd great-grandfather, Josephus Bingaman of Kansas, had achieved “signal success as an inventor”
We all know that physical traits run through a family, but what about aptitudes or things like creativity or mechanical ability?
My father often talks about his father (my grandfather Bingaman) as being a life-long tinkerer with mechanical things. He claims that when in the service in WWII, his father was one of the inventors of the early turbo engine but got no credit because he worked on this when employed by the United States government. I do not know whether there is any truth to this assertion, but it is a story that my father has relayed to me on numerous occasions and certainly believes to be true.
It is not surprising, then, to learn that my grandfather’s grandfather was also a tinkerer. Josephus Bingaman (also called Joseph or Joe) created mechanical things as well. He successfully patented several of his inventions, so that is how we know of them today.
The following article appeared in the Garnett Journal newspaper on 17 Jan 1908 and tells of his improvement for a plow attachment.
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A New Invention
Joseph Bingaman, of Garnett, was up today to interest the Ottawa parties in his latest patented invention, an attachment to the rear of a lister, which puts the ground in better condition[.] The attachment consists of a wheel suspended from a long axle, which packs the ground and breaks up clods. A patent was received by Mr. Bingaman for his article December 31st of last year. “With the patent came a huge pack of letters from eastern parties, wanting terms of sale for the patent right of the invention,” said Mr. Bingaman, “but I have not disposed of it yet.” In the past few years, Mr. Bingaman, who formerly lived in Franklin county, has had signal success as an inventor. In 1892 he invented a pruning hook or tree trimmer, for which he received a neat sum. In February 1907 he received a patent on a much better and handier tree trimmer. Off the sale of one-half of the patent right to this Mr. Bingaman received $4,100. “My latest idea is a modern manure spreader. The machine for which I have a model,” says Mr. Bingaman, “will lift 500 pounds of manure seven feet high and dump.” A model will be sent of this machine to the patent office at Washington soon. —Ottawa Herald.1
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Another news item in another newspaper in an adjacent county tells a bit more of the story:
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Has a New Patent
Joseph Bingaman Hopes to Interest Kansas City Implement Men.
Joseph Bingaman of Garnett, was here over Sunday visiting his sons, Frank and Fred Bingaman. He was enroute to Kansas City, where he goes to consult with representatives of an implement concern with reference to a recent invention of Mr. Bingaman. He has invented a rolling packer attachment for listers that is attracting the attention of manufacturers. Mr. Bingaman has evolved a number of practical implements of value. In 1892 he patented a tree trimmer, which was put on the market by George W. Lawrence and sold readily. An improved cutter was brought out by Mr. Bingaman in February last.2
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With the information from these historic news articles, it was easy to find the patent using the Google Patents search engine. My search resulted in an image submitted in support of the patent application and the text of the application itself. For his efforts, he was awarded United States patent number 875,407.3
Detail of the invention of a plow attachment by Josephus Bingaman, U.S. patent 875,407.
1 “A New Invention,” Garnett Journal (Garnett, Kans.), Fri., 17 Jan 1908, p. 4, col. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com), accessed 12 Jan 2019.
2 “Has a New Patent,” The Ottawa Daily Republic (Ottawa, Kans.), Mon., 13 Jan 1908, p. 1, col. 3; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com), accessed 12 Jan 2019.
3 U.S. Patent No. 875,407, issued 31 Dec 1907 to Josephus Bingaman; digital image, Google Patents (https://patents.google.com), accessed 30 Jan 2019.
