Charles Dinsmoor was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 inventor and lawyer.

Early life

Dinsmoor's ancestors came from Ireland, however are from Scottish descent. Dinsmoor was born at Alabama Center, Genesee County, in New York state on September 19, 1834. Dinsmoor's family genealogy can be traced back to the first person in his family history to arrive in America, John Dinsmoor. John came to America in 1719 from Londonderry, Ireland

Derry

Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

 and is the fifth generation ancestor to the subject of this sketch. He originally settled in Windham, New Hampshire

Windham, New Hampshire

Windham is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 13,592 at the 2010 census.- History :The area was initially home to the Pawtucket Native Americans. Scottish immigrants began to settle in the area in 1719. The region was known as “Nutfield” and included what...

.

Among the ancestors of Dinsmoor are Samuel Dinsmoor

Samuel Dinsmoor

Samuel Dinsmoor was an American teacher, lawyer and politician from Keene, New Hampshire. Born in 1766 in Windham, New Hampshire, he represented New Hampshire in the U.S. House from 1811 to 1813 and later served as Governor. He died in 1835 in Keene, New Hampshire, and is buried there at the...

, who was a governor of New Hampshire and a member of Congress in 1811 and 1812, was a son of John Dinsmoor. Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr.

Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr.

Samuel Dinsmoor, Jr. was an American lawyer, banker and politician from Keene, New Hampshire. His father, Samuel Dinsmoor, had been Governor of New Hampshire in 1834, and in 1849 the younger Samuel followed him...

 was also a governor of New Hampshire. Robert Dinsmoor, brother to Samuel Dinsmoor Sr., was a well known Scottish poet of New England that called himself the "Rustic Bard." William B. Dinsmoor was the president of the Adams Express Company. Colonial Silas Dinsmoor was famous as an Indian agent. A son of Samuel Jr. was George (born 1794 in Keene, New Hampshire

Keene, New Hampshire

Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest...

), the father of this sketch.

Dinsmoor received a minimal education in the local common schools of Elk township in Warren County, Pennsylvania

Warren County, Pennsylvania

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...

 when he was growing up. Much of his time was spent helping support the large family living in meager circumstances. At sixteen Dinsmoor left home and became a successful student at the academies at Warren

Warren, Pennsylvania

Warren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,710 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Forest and the Cornplanter State Forest...

, Smethport

Smethport, Pennsylvania

Smethport is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The current mayor is Ross Porter. The population was 1,684 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McKean County.-History:The U.S...

, and Coudersport, Pennsylvania

Coudersport, Pennsylvania

Coudersport is a borough in Potter County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie on the Allegheny River. The populations were these: 1,530 in 1890; 3,217 in 1900; and 3,100 in 1910. The population was 2,650 at the 2000 census...

. He was also a student at Randolph, New York

Randolph, New York

There are two places named Randolph in the U.S. state of New York:*Randolph , New York*Randolph , New York...

. Dinsmoor was in the printing business for about eleven years in the same cities. The printing was associated with teaching and attending school. During the last three of this time he was editor of the "Warren Ledger" at Warren, Pennsylvania

Warren, Pennsylvania

Warren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,710 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Forest and the Cornplanter State Forest...

.

Mid life

When Dinsmoor was twenty-two he attended Randolph Academy for a year. Here studied law for six months at the offices of Weeden & Henderson. Dinsmoor then continued his law studies under B. W. Lacy in 1858. He was admitted to the bar of Warren County, Pennsylvania

Warren County, Pennsylvania

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...

 September 18, 1859.

Dinsmoor was appointed assistant United States marshal in 1860. One of Dinsmoor’s duties was taking the 1860 census for the northern half of Warren county. Dinsmoor was elected justice of the peace for Warren County in 1861 and was successively reelected for fifteen years. He also practiced law during time. In 1876 he voluntarily retired from the office.

Dinsmoor has been elected to many positions in government, from being a town clerk to a chief burgess. In 1878 he was elected to the office of school director and held that position for many years. Dinsmoor contributed much to bring about high quality standards for the schools of Warren. He was for several years the treasurer of Struthers Library Association and a member of its Board of Control.

Dinsmoor was a lawyer in the Supreme Court of the state of Pennsylvania and the United States Circuit and District Courts. Dinsmoor has been associated with the order of Odd Fellows from 1868 for many years and was grand master of Warren Lodge No. 339.

Later life

Dinsmoor practiced law without a partner for many years. Later he became associated with James Cable and formed the partnership Dinsmoor & Cable. Later when Cable died the firm's name changed to Dinsmoor & Peterson. After Peterson died Dinsmoor conducted business by himself for several years until his health failed. The last five years of his life he had failing health until he died April 11th, 1904.

Notability

History records that Dinsmoor invented the endless chain tractor in 1886, a forerunner of the continuous track vehicle. He received patent No. 351,749 on November 2, 1886. "Dinsmoor's vehicle" was first manufactured commercially by Holt Manufacturing Company

Holt Manufacturing Company

The Holt Manufacturing Company traces its roots to the 1883 establishment of Stockton Wheel Service in Stockton, California, United States. Benjamin Holt, who was later credited with patenting the first workable crawler tractor design, incorporated the Holt Manufacturing Company in 1892...

 of Stockton, California

Stockton, California

Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...

 in 1906.

Dinsmoor Glacier

Dinsmoor Glacier

Dinsmoor Glacier is a glacier flowing east from the south edge of Detroit Plateau, Graham Land, joining Edgeworth Glacier to the northeast of Mount Elliott. Mapped from surveys by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey...

 of Antarctica is named after the subject of this article.

Sources

• Richmond, George, President, Biographical Publishing Company, Book of Biographies - Biographical Sketches of leading citizens of the 37th judicial district, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., 1899

• Kane, Joseph Nathan, Famous First Facts, H. W. Wilson Company (1950)

• Schenck, J. S. et al., History of Warren County, Pennsylvania (Biographical section); Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co. (1887).

• Scientific American, December 18, 1886. Vol. LV., No. 25

• Stewart, John, Antarctica: An Encyclopedia, McFarland (1990), ISBN 0-8995059-7-X

• Cooper, I. C. Jr. and Brothers, Chicage, Ill., The Twentieth Century Bench and Bar of Pennsylvania, 1903 Volume 1,