Felix John Watts (August 4, 1892 - August 17, 1966) was an accomplished inventor with several U.S. patents granted for items such as motion picture projectors, vehicle ignition systems, light switches, and locking mechanisms.

Early years

Felix Watts was born in

Windsor, Ontario Windsor ( ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is situated on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from the U.S city of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Esse ...

to Samuel Watts and Elizabeth Mills. After the death of his mother Elizabeth (daughter of David Mills, Canadian politician) in 1907, his father moved the family to

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Po ...

. After high school, Felix attended the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

where he was an engineering major and captain of the school's international soccer team.

Inventing years

During his years of invention, Felix worked primarily in the electrical and automotive industries and sold many of his inventions to

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...

, whom he became close friends with.

Death

Felix died as a result of a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

Yale, Michigan Yale is a city in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,955 at the 2010 census. Yale is considered unofficially as the Bologna Capital of the world, in part due to its Yale Bologna Festival, which began in 1989. ...

a few months after the death of his wife Sarah Dunford.

References

Motion picture projector patent

Vehicle ignition system patent
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, Felix University of Michigan College of Engineering alumni People from Windsor, Ontario 1892 births 1966 deaths Canadian emigrants to the United States People from Port Huron, Michigan 20th-century American inventors