Jean Alexandre LeMat

[1] LeMat was born in France in 1821 and studied for the priesthood at an early age.

[2] LeMat immigrated to the United States in 1843 and in 1849 he married Justine Sophie LePretre, the cousin of U.S. Army Major Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard.

Beauregard later led the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in 1861.

LeMat was an avid inventor as well as a practicing physician and Beauregard financed some of these ideas.

[3] LeMat, secured US 15925  for his "Grapeshot revolver" design on October 21, 1856.