Ransom Cook
Encyclopedia
Ransom Cook was an inventor who lived much of his life in Saratoga Springs, New York
. He was born in Wallingford, Connecticut
in 1794. His family moved to the village of East Line around 1802, where his father opened a furniture shop.
In 1813, Cook set up a shop of his own in Saratoga Springs. Five years later he married Rachael Ayers, whom he remained with for the rest of his life. Soon after his marriage, Cook built a new furniture shop on Congress Street and enjoyed a successful business.
A man named Thomas Davenport of Vermont
visited him in 1837, and the two developed a new electro-magnetic motor that was many years ahead of its time. Although the motor required more energy to generate than a steam engine did, the concepts of it were used by future inventors.
In 1842, the New York State government solicited Cook to build a new type of prison that utilized prisoners for labor. Cook recommended that a new prison be located at Dannemora
, Clinton County, New York near an iron mine (known as the Clinton Correctional Facility
). Cook supervised the entire construction, and created prisoner rules which were considered highly humane and liberal, as opposed to the harsh conditions found in most other prisons.
Once his commission was complete, Cook returned home to Saratoga and resume his business. Over the next few decades, he patented a multitude of inventions, including a wrought-iron cannon, improved railroad car ventilation, improved scissors, and a new lunchbox. However, his most famous invention was the Cook Auger
, sometimes referred to as the Beetle Bit, as it was inspired by examining the jaws of an insect under a microscope. This auger was almost immediately adopted around the world soon after its patent in 1851 and remains the standard today. He is also sometimes credited with the invention of stencil
ing.
Ransom Cook died in May 1881 at the age of 87. He is buried in the Greenridge Cemetery under a stone pedestal of his own design. He is considered one of Saratoga Springs' most distinguished citizens.
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
. He was born in Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
in 1794. His family moved to the village of East Line around 1802, where his father opened a furniture shop.
In 1813, Cook set up a shop of his own in Saratoga Springs. Five years later he married Rachael Ayers, whom he remained with for the rest of his life. Soon after his marriage, Cook built a new furniture shop on Congress Street and enjoyed a successful business.
A man named Thomas Davenport of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
visited him in 1837, and the two developed a new electro-magnetic motor that was many years ahead of its time. Although the motor required more energy to generate than a steam engine did, the concepts of it were used by future inventors.
In 1842, the New York State government solicited Cook to build a new type of prison that utilized prisoners for labor. Cook recommended that a new prison be located at Dannemora
Dannemora (village), New York
Dannemora is a village located primarily in the Town of Dannemora in Clinton County, New York. The population was 3,936 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from Dannemora, Sweden, an iron-making town where early settlers came from ....
, Clinton County, New York near an iron mine (known as the Clinton Correctional Facility
Clinton Correctional Facility
Clinton Correctional Facility is a New York State Department of Correctional Services state prison for men located in the Village of Dannemora, New York. The prison itself is sometimes colloquially referred to as Dannemora, although its actual name is derived from its location in Clinton County,...
). Cook supervised the entire construction, and created prisoner rules which were considered highly humane and liberal, as opposed to the harsh conditions found in most other prisons.
Once his commission was complete, Cook returned home to Saratoga and resume his business. Over the next few decades, he patented a multitude of inventions, including a wrought-iron cannon, improved railroad car ventilation, improved scissors, and a new lunchbox. However, his most famous invention was the Cook Auger
Auger
An auger is a drilling device, or drill bit, that usually includes a rotating helical screw blade called a "flighting" to act as a screw conveyor to remove the drilled out material...
, sometimes referred to as the Beetle Bit, as it was inspired by examining the jaws of an insect under a microscope. This auger was almost immediately adopted around the world soon after its patent in 1851 and remains the standard today. He is also sometimes credited with the invention of stencil
Stencil
A stencil is a thin sheet of material, such as paper, plastic, or metal, with letters or a design cut from it, used to produce the letters or design on an underlying surface by applying pigment through the cut-out holes in the material. The key advantage of a stencil is that it can be reused to...
ing.
Ransom Cook died in May 1881 at the age of 87. He is buried in the Greenridge Cemetery under a stone pedestal of his own design. He is considered one of Saratoga Springs' most distinguished citizens.