Lysander Button

After John Rogers relocated his machine shop from Albany to a spot on King’s Canal in Waterford, Saratoga County, New York, Button found a job there as a machinist.

Rogers sold the shop to William Platt and Judge Nicholas Doe, who expanded the product line to include other castings such as iron water wheels.

In 1841 he developed the first fire engine water pump, with valves set at an angle of 45 degrees and straight-level waterways from the inlet to the outlet.

From 1873 to 1891 Theodore submitted some half a dozen patents, including improvements in hose and pipe couplings, feed water regulators, and steam engines.

However, after spending almost half a century manufacturing fire engines, Lysander decided to retire in 1882 and sell the entire works, including the rights to his many patents, to Holroyd & Company of Waterford.