Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling (September 12, 1818 – February 26, 1903) was an American inventor best known for his invention of the Gatling gun, the first successful machine gun. Pre-1903 photograph This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... An 1865 Gatling gun. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ...

The son of farmer and inventor Jordan Gatling, Gatling was born in Hertford County, North Carolina and by the age of 21 had invented the screw propeller for steamboats, only to discover it had recently and independently been patented by John Ericsson. He worked as a court clerk, teacher, and storekeeper. While running his own store, he invented a "wheat drill", a planting device, and manufactured these for sale. By 1845 he was earning enough from this device to devote himself to selling and marketing it full-time. Hertford County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... John Ericsson (1803-1889) John Ericsson (July 31, 1803 – March 8, 1889) was a Swedish inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother, Nils Ericson. ...

He founded the Gatling Gun Company in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1862. The company merged with Colt in 1897. In the interim, he further developed the device, and while experimenting with improvements, he devised electric motor powered Gatling cannons of various sizes. Modern versions of these were put into use on flying gun platforms in the later half of the 1990s, as well as being used by some ground forces. The hand-cranked Gatling gun was declared obsolete by the United States Army in 1911. Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Marion Founded 1821 Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Area    - City 953. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Rampant Colt - The original logo of Colts Firearms Colts Manufacturing Company was founded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1847 by Samuel Colt in order to produce revolvers, which Colt held the patent on, during the Mexican-American War. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... See also 1990s, the band Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States armed forces and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ...

In his later years, Gatling patented improvements related to toilets, bicycles, steam-cleaning of raw wool, pneumatic power, and many other fields. World-famous, he was elected as the first president of the American Association of Inventors and Manufacturers in 1891, serving for six years. Although still quite wealthy at the time of his death, he had made and lost several fortunes in bad investments.

Dr. Richard Jordan Gatling died at his home in New York City on February 26, 1903. He is interred at the famous Crown Hill National Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Nickname: Big Apple; City that never Sleeps; Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Crown Hill National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana. ... Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Marion Founded 1821 Mayor Bart Peterson (D) Area    - City 953. ...