US Events: Samuel Slater and Moses Brown

Samuel Slater

Moses Brown

Growing up in industrial Britain and working in textile factories from the age of ten, Samuel Slater used this experience to bring cutting edge textile machinery to the United States. During this period strict legal action was taken to prevent the export of machinery plans and experienced laborers from Britain to secure dominance in the Industrial Revolution. Taking this into account Slater memorized plans for cotton mill machinery and left Britain for the United States in 1789. 

It was in 1789 that Slater met pioneering American Industrialist Moses Brown who had just begun the operation of a spinning mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. After struggling with inefficient and ineffective machinery, Brown struck a deal with Slater to construct and implement the machinery which he had memorized. By 1793 Slater had constructed several water frames and other textile machinery, allowing the factory to be opened with he and Brown as co-operators.