David Melville

David Melville (March 21, 1773 - September 3, 1856) was an American inventor, credited with the first gas street lighting in America, and the first American patent for gas lighting. Melville was born in Newport, Rhode Island to David and Mary (West) Melville. He was apparently able to light both his house and his street with gas by 1805-1806, using hydrogenous gas made by burning coal and wood. In 1876 the American Gas Light Journal stated that "in 1806 he had so far succeeded that he was enabled to light more than twenty rooms on his premises; by means of a large lantern he lighted Pelham street as it had never been lighted before." In 1916, Walton Clark stated: The first recorded instance of the use of gas for domestic illumination in the United States fixes the date at 1806. In that year David Melville of Newport, R.I., lighted his house and the street in front it with gas manufactured upon his premises. This was one year before the first public gas lighting venture in England.... He maintained the lights in his home until 1817. His feat was considerably ahead of the commercial gas industry, as gas lighting began regular service in Newport in 1853, nearly fifty years after Melville's demonstrations.