Mary Kies becomes the first woman to receive a U.S. patent
On May 5, 1809, Mary Kies became the first woman to receive a U.S. patent for her new method of weaving straw hats using silk and thread. πππ Did you know? First Lady Dolley Madison was so impressed with Kiesβ innovation that she wrote to her with congratulations for boosting the female-dominated straw hat-making industry. […]