Beulah Louise Henry, American Inventor
Beulah Louise Henry arrived at the Patent Office in Washington today to consult with Uncle Sam about one of her more than 40 inventions. Miss Henry is shown with her latest invention, an air baby doll which can be bathed and looks more like a real baby than any of its kind. Beulah Louise Henry (February 11, 1887 - February 1973) was an American inventor, given the nickname, Lady Edison. From a young age she loved to tinker with things and create newer objects with practical utility. The first of her numerous patents was for a vacuum ice cream freezer in 1912. Originally from North Carolina, she moved to New York City following the early successes of her inventions. One of her most popular early inventions was an umbrella with a snap-on cloth cover that allowed the owner to coordinate the umbrella with clothing. She worked as an inventor for the Nicholas Machine Works from 1939 to 1955. She also served as a consultant for many companies that manufactured her inventions, including the Mergenthaler Linotype Company and the International Doll Company. She lived in New York hotels, belonged to a variety of scientific societies, and never married. A very prolific inventor, she had around 110 inventions in total though she held the patent for only 49 during her lifetime. Henry was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006. Photographed by Harris and Ewing, November 17, 1927
