Jack Johnson, the world's first African American heavyweight champion patented a wrench (U.S.patent#1,413,121) on April the 18th, 1922. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blwrench1.htm
One of the most famous design patents ever was issued to Auguste Bartholdi. He received US Patent D11,023 on February 18, 1879 for the Design of a Statue of Liberty Enlightening The World- The Statue of Liberty
Samuel Prosser received a patent related to toilets in England in 1777.
Thomas Edison received his first patent, U.S. Patent 90,646, on June 1, 1869. This patent was for the electric vote recorder.
1880
Albert T. Marshall filed the patent application for the refrigerator in 1897, and received the patent in 1899.
Rillieux received patent number 3237 for his improvement to sugar processing in 1843.
He worked in a patent office as a patent application reviewer.
Before Einstein became famous, he was a patent clerk.
Abraham Lincoln. He received a patent in 1849 related to an idea he had about preventing ships from running aground.
Abraham Lincoln is the only US President to hold a patent.
First African American woman to receive a patent, designed furniture and received a patent for a fold-away bed