Invention of the Wheel!!

This post is a bit of a stretch as it does not concern a DIRECT ancestor, but I thought it was very interesting. It is about William Joseph Horsley Sr, who was my 4th great uncle (Frank Utpadel's great-great uncle; his mother Jennie Smith's great uncle on her mother's side.)

William Horsley was born in October 1840 in Kentucky to General Scott (General was his first name, not a title) and Livinstena Horsley. The family moved to Vigo County Indiana in 1856.  William married a woman named Sarah (maiden name unknown at this time) some time in the early 1860's but the marriage produced no living children. He fought for the Union in the Civil War.  In May 1880 Sarah filed for divorce which was granted in June.

Petition for Divorce

Divorce Granted

William married Catherine Lorraine Riner 5 months later on November 3, 1880. They had nine children in 19 years. He died on June 20, 1924 in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the age of 83 and was buried there.

In 1895 William was issued a patent for a vehicle wheel. I wish I understood how the design below was different from other vehicle wheels. I also wish I knew if the design was used and if he made any money from it. Or if it wasn't used, then why not.

From the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office Apr-Jun 1885

From the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office Apr-Jun 1885

The patent expired 17 years later on May 28, 1912.