Goodyear

Charles Goodyear (December 29, 1800 - July 1, 1860) is an American, popularly renowned as the inventor of vulcanized rubber, which he received a patent for on June 15, 1844. Vulcanized rubber is currently still used in tires and other hard rubber products. more...

He is also known for inspiring the name of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, although he had no connection with the company, which was founded after his death.

Early Life

Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven, Connecticut on December 29, 1800. He was the son of Amasa Goodyear, and the eldest among six children. His father was quite proud of being a descendant of Stephen Goodyear, one of the founders of the colony of New Haven in 1638.

Amasa Goodyear owned a little farm on the neck of land in New Haven which is now known as Oyster Point, and it was here that Charles spent the earliest years of his life. When Charles was quite young, his father secured an interest in a patent for the manufacture of ivory buttons, and looking for a convenient location for a small mill, settled at Naugatuck, Connecticut, where he made use of the valuable water power that is there. Aside from his manufacturing, the elder Goodyear ran a farm, and between farming and manufacturing kept Charles Goodyear busy.

In 1816, Charles left his home and went to Philadelphia to learn the hardware business. He worked at this very industriously until he was twenty-one years old, and then, returning to Connecticut, entered into partnership in his father's business in Naugatuck, where they manufactured not only ivory and metal buttons, but a variety of agricultural implements, which were just beginning to be appreciated by farmers.

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