William Edward Sawyer (1850-May 15, 1883)[1] was an American inventor whose contribution was primarily in the field of electric engineering and electric lighting.
His primary inventions included:
A 1920 article in The New York Times described him as best known for pioneering the development of the incandescent light.[2] In partnership with Albon Man (June 29,1826- February 18, 1905) he founded a company to produce incandescent lamps. From 1879 thorough 1885 the company successfully defended his patents against the interests of the Edison company. Use of the Sawyer-Man 'stopper' lamps allowed Westinghouse to successfully bid for the contract to illuminate the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, a key development in the War of Currents. The Sawyer-Man company was eventually purchased by the Westinghouse Corporation and became the Westinghouse lighting division. [3]