Abbott Payson Usher (January 13, 1883 – June 18, 1965)[1][2] was an American economic historian.

The Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) has awarded the Abbot Payson Usher Prize, named in his honor, annually since 1961.

[4] In A History of Mechanical Inventions Usher argued that technological innovation was a slow, collective process with many contributors, not relying on the genius of great inventors.

[5] In 1963 Usher was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci Medal by the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT).

His daughter Miriam Usher Chrisman was a noted historian of the German Reformation.