Hannibal Goodwin

Hannibal Williston Goodwin (* April 21, 1822 in Tompkins County, New York, † December 31, 1900 ) was an American clergyman and inventor.

Life and work

Goodwin led the House of Prayer, an Episcopalian Church in Newark, New Jersey, 1867-1887; he managed to make without special scientific training 24 inventions were patented 15 of them.

Through lengthy series of experiments he invented, for example, the roll film on celluloid base, which he filed in the U.S. on May 2, 1887, regarding the patent ( "photographic pellicle and process of Producing same [ ... ] Especially in connection with roller cameras" ). Goodwin led for eleven years a legal battle with the George Eastman Company - today's Kodak - which in turn claimed to have invented the roll film in 1888, under the name Henry M. Reichenbach filed corresponding patents and roll films marketed with great success. Goodwin received on 13 September 1898, the U.S. Patent 610'861, two years before his death, and the Eastman Company had to pay a fine of five million dollars to make (according to other sources sued later Ansco Eastman Company, which concerned the patent was granted final on March 10, 1914).

1900 founded the Goodwin Goodwin Film & Camera Co., but he died in the same year, even before the film production had begun.

After Goodwin's death, the patent was sold to Ansco, the 1909 Goodwin honored at the National Photography Association Convention; Ansco also brought up in the 30s a number of box and folding camera under his name on the market.

1914 donated Goodwin's church friends as well as a local photo club a plaque in a public library with the following inscription: