"Andrew Jackson Beard"(1849-1921)

Born a slave on a plantation in Woodland,Alabama,shortly before slavery ended.He was a farmer,carpenter,blacksmith,railroad worker,a businessman and finally a an inventor.
In 1881,he patiented his first invention,a plow,and sold the patent rights for $4,000 in 1884.In 1887,Andrew patented a second plaw and sold it for $5,200.He invested the money he made from his plow inventions into a profitable real-estate business.
In 1892,he patented a rotary engine.In 1897,Andrew patented an improvement to railroad car couplers commonly  called the Jenny Coupler (not to be mistaken for the Janney Coupler).It did the dangerous job of hooking railroad cars together,Andrew,himself had lost a leg in a car coupling accident.As an ex-railroad worker,he had the right idea that probably saved countless lives and limbs.Andrew received $ 50,000 for the patient rights to his Jenny Coupler.