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James
Annin was born July 29, 1828, in Le Roy. His parents, Joseph and Melinda
(Wells) Annin, were born in New Jersey and Milford, Conn., respectively.
Joseph Annin came to Cayuga County, thence to Le Roy, and engaged
in the mercantile business, being one of the earliest in the village.
They had children as follows: William Le Roy, the first male child
born in the town after the name was changed from Bellona to Le Roy,
George W., Joseph W., Catharine, James, Charles, and Sarah. Joseph
Annin died in 1835, aged 45 years. He was a son of William Annin,
who was an early pioneer of Cayuga County, and was one of the earliest
pioneer teachers of that section. James Annin, son of Joseph, was
reared in Le Roy village. After his mother's death, and at the age
of 11 years, he began to earn his own livelihood. He entered a dry
goods store at Mount Morris. In the fall of 1840 he returned to Le
Roy, and with Russels & Sampson began the trade of jeweler. After
three years' experience he went to Boston and finished his trade.
Six years later be returned to Le Roy and opened a store near the
Eagle Hotel, where he remained one year, after which he carried on
business at various places until the Lampson House was complete, when
he entered the room he now occupies. Mr. Annin is the oldest merchant
now doing business in LeRoy. He has since beginning business repaired
over 65,000 watches, engraved over 4,000 coffin plates, and has made
over $80,000. He married, August 30, 1849, Priscilla W., daughter
of William Keith, of Boston, by whom he had seven children, viz.:
James, Jr., Charles H., of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Elizabeth W., Hattie
K., also of Grand Rapids; Frank, of Toledo, O.; Herbert E., of Grand
Rapids; and Lillian G. Mrs. Annin died in September, 1879.
FROM: Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, New York,
Edited by: F. W. Beers, J.W. Vose & Co., Publishers, Syracuse,
N. Y. 1890
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He was issued patent number 198,065 on 11 Dec 1877
JAMES ANNIN, OF LE ROY, NEW YORK.
IMPROVEMENT IN NAPKIN-RING AND HOLDER.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,065, dated
December 11, 1877; application filed October 22, 1877.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, James Annin, of Le Roy, in the county of Genesee
and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements
in Napkin Ring and Holder Combined; and I do hereby declare that
the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which
will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to
make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of
this specification.
The object of this invention is to produce a napkin-ring that shall
not only form a holder-for the napkin when not in use, but shall
furnish a clasp for securing it to the neck of the wearer when seated
at the table, thus avoiding the use of pins, buttons, and other
devices now used for that purpose; and the invention consists in
forming the ring of two or more pieces, jointed to each other, the
combined length of which shall be such as to partially or wholly
encircle the neck of the wearer, while the length of a single piece
shall nearly equal the circumference of the ring when used to hold
the folded napkin, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and
then specifically pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1 of the drawings shows the ring closed up, as when used
for holding the folded napkin. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same
with name-plate attached. Fig. 3 shows the ring expanded, as when
used as a clasp to hold the napkin about the neck of the wearer.
Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the joint uniting the separate parts.
Fig. 5 shows the ring in use as a napkin-supporter, and encircling
the neck of the wearer.
The ring may be made of any metal or other suitable material having
sufficient elasticity to admit of its being doubled or folded in
the manner represented in Figs. 1 and 2, so that a section of one-half
or one-third of the circumference of the circle, as seen in Fig.
3, may be bent into a complete circle without permanent set or destroying
its resilient qualities.
In the drawing, a represents one part of such a ring, provided near
one end with the knob b, and at the opposite end with the orifice
or loop c, so arranged that when the part is bent into the form
of a complete circle the knob will pass through the orifice and
hold the two ends firmly together, but in such a way that they may
be readily detached by slipping the knob out of the orifice when
it is desired to unfold the ring and use it as a clasp.
A name-plate, d, or other ornamental device, may be attached to
the part a, near the orifice c, by solder or other suitable means.
Hinged to the part a by the pivot e is the part or parts h, one
or more, as may be needed to produce a clasp of the desired length
to properly enclose the neck of the wearer with the interposed napkin,
as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The part or parts h, when the
ring is closed to perform its duty as an ordinary napkin-ring, lie
concentrically within the part a; and to make them more readily
assume this position the part or parts h are turned upon the pivot
e, so as to lie within and parallel to the part a, which may then
be closed by passing the knob b through the orifice c, when the
whole assumes a compact form, similar to that of the napkin-rings
in common use.
It will be apparent that the part a alone may be used as a napkin-ring,
if desired, as it possesses all the desiderata required for such
an article.
Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to
secure by Letters Patent of the United States, the following:
1. A napkin-ring formed of two parts folded upon each other, as
described, which may be expanded to pass around the neck, so as
to form a clasp or holder, in the manner specified.
2. The part a, provided with the orifice and knob, as set forth,
in combination with the part h, and connected thereto by the joint
e, to form the supporting-clasp for the napkin, in the manner shown
and described.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I affix
my signature in presence of two witnesses.
JAMES ANNIN
Witnesses:
Walter H. Smith
F. W. Haydon
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