Robert Hoe

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Robert Hoe (1784 - 1833) was born in Leicestershire, England. He was indentured to a joiner, in 1802 emigrated to the United States, worked for a time as a master carpenter, and subsequently was an associate of his brothers-in-law, Peter and Matthew Smith, in the business of carpentry and in the manufacture of a hand printing press invented by Peter Smith. In 1823 he became sole proprietor of the business, retiring in 1832. A skilled mechanic, he constructed and introduced the original Hoe press and was, it is thought, the earliest American machinist to utilize steam as a motive power in his plant. He was the father of Peter Smith Hoe, Robert Hoe, and Richard March Hoe, and the grandfather of the bibliophile Robert Hoe III.

• This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.