Robert Hoe

Who was Robert Hoe?

Robert Hoe 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 R. Hoe & Company, 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.