John Brislin
John Brislin (May 12, 1838 – March 27, 1907) was an American inventor who invented moveable rolling tables used for rolling large steel beams. These tables were a source of Andrew Carnegie's and U.S. Steel's fortunes. Brislin sued Carnegie on patent infringement, originally won and then the verdict was overturned on a technicality. Brislin went blind, lost his job as a janitor, and died in complete poverty. References 

1838 births
1907 deaths
19th-century American inventors