The New Student's Reference Work/Jacquard, Joseph Marie

Ja′cquard (zhä′ kär′), Joseph Marie, was an ingenious Frenchman, a native of Lyons, born on July 7, 1752.  Early in life he was called upon to carry on the weaving business of his father, and set himself to work to improve the machinery then used in weaving.  By his invention he made it possible for an ordinary workman to produce the most beautiful patterns with little labor.  The reception of this great invention, like all others, was not encouraging.  Napoleon rewarded the weaver by a small pension, but the great body of weavers so opposed the new machine, that on one occasion they tried to take the inventor’s life and broke his machine in pieces.  But the invention was too valuable to be kept long in the background, and in a few years weaving was almost revolutionized by its use, especially in the finer silk fabrics.  On the spot where his machine was publicly destroyed now stands a fine statue of Jacquard.  He died near Lyons on Aug. 7, 1834.