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Title
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Kies, Mary Dixon (1752-1837)
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birthday
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1752-03-21
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Birthplace
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South Killingly, CT
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Death Date
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1837
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Occupation
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Inventor
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Biographical Text
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Mary was an inventor who patented straw hats during the Napoleonic Wars. Her father John Dixon, was a farmer and her mother, Janet Kennedy was his third wife. Although Mary was not the first inventor of the hat, she was widely known because of patent of a unique technique of weaving straw with silk and thread to make hats. The hats produced using this method were sturdier than others while also being extremely cost effective so many businesses adopted this process. Even though the hat industry thrived, Mary made very little profit from her sales.
In 1752, Mary married Isaac Pike I, and in 1770 they had a son names Isaac Pike II. After Pike's death she married John Kies and had a son names Daniel Kies. She lived with Daniel Kies who tried help by investing in her business but ultimately, the fast changes of trends in the fashion industry made her invention outdated.
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Contributor
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Phillip, Emelda
