Elijah McCoy

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Elijah McCoy

• Jenna Cornwell

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Introduction
Have you ever heard anyone ask for the real
McCoy? I have heard people ask.
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Childhood
Elijah McCoy was born May 2,1813 in Colcester,
Ontario, Canada.His parents were former slaves
named George and Milldred Mcoy.They had fled to
Kentucky for Canada on the the underground
railroad.McCoy had eleven brothers and sisters.
Can you imagine? At three Elijah McCoy moved to
Detroit,Michigan. At the age of fifteen he served
as a mechanical apprentice and two years he
served as a locomotive fireman and an oilier in
Ypsilanti,Michigan. In 1868 he married Ann
Elizabeth Stewart.Sadly Ann died 4 years
later.In 1873 he married Mary Eleanor Delany and
the couple moved to Detroit,Michigan.
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What Made them Famous
Elijah McCoy invented the graphite lubricator
cup.He received a patent later that year.Elijah
spent his Saturday afternoons watering his lawn
for hours.Until he invented the lawn sprinkler.
For Marys birthday he invented the portable iron
board.
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Interesting Facts
Did you know he received fifty-seven patents? His
parents were runaway slaves. George McCoy joined
the Canadian Army to fight in the Rebel War.
After that he raised his family as free Canadian
citizens.In 1922 Elijah and Mary were involved in
a car accident and both suffered severe injures.
He died in 1929. I wish I could have met him
because he sounds like a great person.