Sybilla Masters is known as the first American
woman inventor in recorded history. A colonist from Philadelphia,
she invented a way for cleaning and curing the Indian corn
crops that the colonist in early America received as a gift
from the native peoples. Sybilla Masters's innovation allowed
the corn to be processed into many different food and cloth
products.
Because Sybilla was a woman and at that
time women and minorities had no rights to own patents the
patent for her invention was issued in her husband Thomas’
name by the British courts in 1715. Thomas Masters was issued
patents for "Cleansing Curing and Refining of Indian
Corn Growing in the Plantations". A second patent was
issued to Sybilla's husband for another of her inventions
entitled "Working and Weaving in a New Method, Palmetta
Chip and Straw for Hats and Bonnets and other Improvements
of that Ware."
Sybilla Masters was a woman out of her time
and far from just a typical woman!
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