John Landis Mason Born 1832 – Died February 26, 1902 Improvement
in Screw-Neck Bottles Patent No. 22,186 John Mason invented and
patented the first glass jar with a screw-on cap in From early
human history, farmers searched for a method to keep food from
spoiling. Prior to canning, foods were dried, smoked and salted,
or soaked in sugar for preservation. Other methods of canning
preceded Mason’s, but did not provide long-term food
preservation and were extremely cumbersome. Mason, a tinsmith,
developed a square-shouldered jar that provided an airtight
seal. The jar had a threaded neck and a threaded metal cap that
screwed down over a rubber seal to the jar's shoulder, creating
an airtight seal. The jars offered a more reliable method of
preserving foods and were an immediate success. With the
increased safety and convenience of canning, urban populations
were able to take advantage of fresh produce. The jars were
affordable and re-useable and allowed for preservation of garden
or farm produce such as tomatoes