In 1903, Richard Gatling, American inventor of the cylinder gun that bears his name, died.

CNN: Thursday,

In 1831, an Irish American farmer and inventor named Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper, which was drawn by a horse and made it possible to harvest as much grain in a day as a dozen men with scythes.

FORBES

In 1916, Sir Hiram Maxim, American-born British inventor best known for the machine gun that bears his name, died.

CNN: Sunday,

Both paint Farnsworth as an extreme example of that peculiarly American species, the lone inventor.

FORBES: Channeling Philo