The Real McCoy

Elijah McCoy (1843-1929) was a turn of the century mechanical engineer and inventor. Though unknown to most people, McCoy's high-quality industrial inventions were the basis for the expression "the real McCoy," meaning the real, authentic, or high-quality thing.

Elijah McCoy’s parents were George and Emillia McCoy. They escaped slavery in Kentucky for Canada in 1837 via the Underground Railroad route that ran along the Indiana and Ohio border. His father enlisted in the Canadian Army and served honorably in the 1837 Rebel War. Upon discharge, the Canadian government gave him 160 acres of farmland near Colchester, Ontario, Canada.

Elijah McCoy was born on May 2, 1843. He attended public school until the age of 15. As a child, Elijah showed great interest in the mechanical devices and tools used on his family's farm. His parents were able to save enough money to send Elijah to school in Edinburgh, Scotland to learn mechanical engineering in 1860.

The five-year period from 1860 to 1865 was a time of great social and technical change. Much of the foundation of modern mechanical theory took form during these years as the American Civil War raged.

Elijah returned to Canada after the Civil War was over, living with his family for about a year before moving to Ypsilanti, Michigan. At the time, the Michigan Central Railroad could not imagine that a Negro could be an engineer, but did hire him as a train fireman/oilman. As an oilman, Elijah was responsible for ensuring that the train was well lubricated. After a few miles, the train would be forced to stop and he would have to walk alongside the train applying oil to the axles and bearings.

In an effort to improve efficiency and eliminate the frequent stopping necessary for lubrication of the train, McCoy set out to create a method of automating the task. In 1872 he developed a "lubricating cup" that could automatically drip oil when and where needed. He received a patent for the device later that year. The "lubricating cup" met with enormous success and orders for it came in from railroad companies all over the country. Other inventors attempted to sell their own versions of the device but most companies wanted the authentic device, requesting "the Real McCoy."

In 1868, Elijah married Ann Elizabeth Stewart. Sadly, Elizabeth passed away just four years later. In 1873, McCoy married again, this time his bride was Mary Eleanor Delaney another child of former slaves.

In 1882 Elijah and Mary moved into an integrated neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan. He performed consulting work for local firms and worked on his own inventions. Over the course of his life he was granted fifty-two patents, most of which were for improvements in steam engines, although he did patent a folding ironing board and self propelled lawn sprinkler.

He finally established his own company in 1920 - the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company. Shortly afterward, he and his wife were involved in traffic accident. Mary would die from the injuries and Elijah's health suffered for several years. Like so many other inventors of this era, Elijah used up his money trying to perfect his inventions. He was broke and alone when he was admitted to Eliose Infirmary in 1928. He died a year later.

McCoy left behind a legacy of successful inventions which would benefit mankind for another century and his name would come to symbolize quality workmanship - the Real McCoy!