Patent Models Online at Missouri Historical Society's Website

In a recent blog post, we shared information on a little-known area of Google’s website: Google Patents. We discussed how you could check to see if one of your ancestors filed for a U.S. patent and the interesting information a patent file might contain. (If you missed that post from October 2023, you can find it here.) Shortly after our blog was released, the fall 2023 issue of the Gateway magazine published by the Missouri Historical Society arrived containing a fascinating article on patents written by Assistant Collections Manager Bryan Morey. Read on to see how the Missouri Historical Society’s collection may lead to some remarkable discoveries for you.

Google Patents May Add to Your Family History AND StLGS Members, It's Time to Vote!

We already know that many of our ancestors were hard-working and industrious. They often had to be in order to survive. A lot of our ancestors were also extremely creative as they made their way through what often was a difficult world. Not satisfied with the status quo, they looked for ways to improve their lives. A few weeks ago, we told you about a woman named Nancy Donaldson Johnson, who invented and patented an ice cream freezer in 1843. (Did you miss that post? You can find it here.) How can you learn more about your own ancestors who might have been inventors? Once again, Google is your friend. Read on to learn about one of its best-kept secrets, Google Patents. (And if you are a member of StLGS, be sure to check out the information at the end of this post; it's voting time again!)