Mary Dixon Kies

Mary Kies was the first woman to apply for a U.S. patent. In May of 1809, she received a patent for a straw-hat making process. Her process included weaving straw with silk or thread to create a stylish hat. The Patent Act of 1790 allowed for any man or woman to submit a patent to the U.S. Patent Office, but no woman had attempted to do so. In the early 1800s the government was discouraging the purchase of foreign goods and Kies' hat was a great solution. First Lady Dolley Madison wrote a letter to Kies thanking her for giving woman a great American-made option.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Dixon_Kies
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61919026
• 'https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/youngandbrave/metcalf.html?utm...