Jacob William Davis (born Jkobs Jufess; 18311908) was a Latvian born American tailor who is credited with inventing modern jeans. Growing up in Latvia, he emigrated to the United States as a young man and spent some time in Canada as well. He invented jeans by using sturdy cloth and rivets to strengthen weak points in the seams, and partnered with Levi Strauss to mass-produce them.
Levi Strauss (; born Löb Strauß, German: [løːp ˈʃtʁaʊs]; February 26, 1829 – September 26, 1902) was a German-born American businessman who founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans. His firm of Levi Strauss & Co. (Levi's) began in 1853 in San Francisco, California.
1873May, 20
Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.
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Events on 1873
- 18Feb
Vasil Levski
Bulgarian revolutionary leader Vasil Levski is executed by hanging in Sofia by the Ottoman authorities. - 22Mar
Slavery in the Spanish New World colonies
The Spanish National Assembly abolishes slavery in Puerto Rico. - 1Jul
Canadian Confederation
Prince Edward Island joins into Canadian Confederation. - 4Aug
7th Cavalry Regiment
American Indian Wars: While protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the United States 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer clashes for the first time with the Cheyenne and Lakota people near the Tongue River; only one man on each side is killed. - 20Oct
Princeton University
Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Rutgers universities draft the first code of American football rules.