Meanwhile, a Swedish-born architect named John Ericsson had submitte a proposal to build an ironclad warship for the Union Navy. The Monitor was built for $195,000 and was sold to the Navy for $270,000. Timby received a 5 percent commission of $13,500.
Timby spent much of his life in Saratoga Springs, New York, having moved there in 1860.
He patented a wide variety of other inventions such as a door sash, water wheel, paper cutter, needle case and a globe clock that was sold in such great numbers that some can still be seen at auctions today.
There was an effort in the early 1900s to give credit to Timby for his turret invention. The Washington Post stated in 1909, shortly after his death that "John Ericsson has for years monopolized all of the credit for inventing and building the Monitor, but as a matter of fact he was a joint inventor with Theodore Timby."
--Old B-Runner
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