Robert Hoe


Robert Hoe, born in Leicestershire, England, was a master carpenter and machinist in the United States, to which he emigrated in 1803. In 1823 he became sole proprietor of the R. Hoe & Company, retiring in 1832. A skilled mechanic, he constructed and introduced the original Hoe press and was, it is thought, the earliest American machinist to utilize steam as a motive power in his plant.

Family

He was the father of Peter Smith Hoe, Richard March Hoe and Robert Hoe. Richard became an inventor, developing the rotary printing press, which revolutionized newspaper publishing. Robert II was associated with his father and elder brother Richard in business. He was one of the founders of the National Academy of Design, and a patron of young artists. His son Robert Hoe III became a bibliophile. His art collection was sold by the American Art Association in 1911.