Person:Irving Kilmer (1)

He met a sudden and distressed death by swallowing carbolic acid by mistake. At the time of his death he was vice-president of the Kilmer Manufacturing Company. Without disparagement to any of his brothers in the several executive and mechanical abilities, Irving has been called the inventive mind of the well-known Kimer industry. It is said that he portrayed his mechanical genius at the age of four, when he dissected the household clock and put it together again so that it kept time as well as before. During his brief and active live he conceived a number of inventions which were patented. Among these were three fasteners for bale ties known as the Figure Eight, the Adjustable, and Arrowhead. He also devised machines for the manufacture of these inventions and also for barbed wire.

1.   Birthdate has been commonly listed as June 8, 1850, based on book titled "History of the Kilmer Family in America". A personal family record kept by Irving's son Walter has birthdate listed as June 11, 1851. Also, newspaper article from Newburgh, NY on day of death states Irving was 41 at the time.