Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 24.djvu/395

 less with the aid of his partner that Hargreaves was enabled to take out a patent for the spinning-jenny (dated 12 July 1770; Abridgments of Specifications for Spinning, No. 962). Learning that the jenny was being extensively used by Lancashire manufacturers, Hargreaves brought actions for infringement of patent. They offered him 3,000l. for permission to use it, but he stood out for 4,000l. The actions were being proceeded with, when his attorney abandoned them on learning of the sale of jennies at Blackburn. Hargreaves continued in partnership with James until his death in April 1778, six years after which there were at work in England 20,000 hand-jennies of 80 spindles each, against 550 mules of 90 spindles each. Hargreaves is described as having been 'a stout, broad-set man, about five feet ten inches high.' He is said to have left property valued at 7,000l. (, p. 209), and his widow received 400l. for her share in the business. After her death some of their children were extremely poor. Joseph Brotherton [q. v.] endeavoured to raise a fund for them, and found great difficulty in procuring from the wealthy manufacturers of Lancashire subscriptions sufficient to preserve them from destitution.

For many years after his death Hargreaves was supposed to have effected in the carding-machine an admirable improvement which Arkwright claimed and in 1775 patented. Arkwright was engaged at Nottingham in the cotton manufacture for a year or two during Hargreaves's stay in that town [see ], and at the action brought by Arkwright to secure his patents in 1785 the widow and a son of Hargreaves, with a workman who had been employed by him, swore that Hargreaves had contrived the improvement referred to. About fifty years after the trial, however, a statement from personal knowledge of the facts was made by Mr. James, a son of Hargreaves's partner, which showed conclusively that Hargreaves or his own father, either or both, had appropriated the invention from Arkwright through information given by one of Arkwright's workmen. Hargreaves himself has been represented by Mr. Guest (Compendious History, pp. 13-14) as merely the improver, and not the inventor, of the spinning-jenny. That writer attributes the invention to the same Thomas Highs from whom, he maintains, Arkwright unscrupulously appropriated the famous rollers. But the evidence adduced to prove that Highs invented the spinning-jenny is very inconclusive. One item of it is that Highs had, and that Hargreaves undeniably had not, a daughter named Jane, and after her, Mr. oruest affirms, the machine was called a spinning-jenny.  HARGREAVES, JAMES (1768–1845), Baptist minister, was born near Bacup, Lancashire, on 13 Nov. 1768. He was set to work when only seven years old. At thirteen his uncle, a publican, sent him to school for a few months, so that he might be useful in keeping his accounts. At eighteen he left his uncle's public-house. Before that time he had become interested in theological discussions, and was led to study the Bible. In 1791 he married, and soon after was induced by a clergyman named Ogden to begin preaching. He left the church of England in 1794 and joined the baptist society at Bacup, becoming a minister of that body, and exercising his calling at Bolton, Lancashire, from 1795 to 1798. In the latter year he removed to Ogden in the same county, where he remained until 1822. While at Ogden he successfully conducted a school, in addition to attending to his pastoral duties. He removed to Wild Street Chapel, London, in 1822, and to the baptist chapel at Waltham Abbey Cross, Essex, in 1828. He joined the Peace Society soon after its formation, and eventually became its secretary. His first publication seems to be 'The Great Physician and his Method of Cure,' &c., 1797. He afterwards wrote a great number of tracts, addresses, and sermons, and many contributions to baptist periodicals. His more important works were: 1. 'The Life and Memoir of the Rev. John Hirst of Bacup,' &c., Rochdale, 1816, 12mo. This is a valuable record of religious life in East Lancashire. 2. 'The Doctrine of Eternal Reprobation Disproved,' 1821, 12mo. 3. 'Essays and Letters on important Theological Subjects,' 1833, 8vo. He died at Waltham Abbey Cross on 16 Sept. 1845, aged 77.  HARGREAVES, THOMAS (1774–1847), miniature-painter, born at Liverpool on 16 March 1774, was son of Henry Hargreaves, a woollen-draper, and Elizabeth Rigby. He began painting miniatures at an early age, and on the advice of Sir Thomas Lawrence [q. v.], who had seen some of his work, he came to London in 1793. Hargreaves bound himself by indenture to serve as apprentice to Lawrence at a salary of fifty guineas per annum for two years from March 1793, and remained with him some 