Alexander P. Ashbourne
Alexander P. Ashbourne
An American Inventor ~ the humble beginnings of the biscuit cutter & coconut oil refinement.
The Man
Born enslaved in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1820 and emancipated sometime in 1847, Alexander P. Ashbourne was a dry goods grocer. He was best known for receiving patent number 170,460 on November 30th, 1875, for enhancing the biscuit cutter. Additionally, Ashbourne received patent number 163,962 for a coconut oil refining process on June 1st, 1875, patent number 194,287 for a method for treating coconut on August 21st, 1877, and patent number 230,518 for a process for preparing coconut on July 27th, 1880.
Not much is known about Ashbourne’s life, but it is known that he grew up cutting wheat alongside his family members. Ashbourne was born after the “Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act” was passed in 1780, so he was not subject to a lifetime of enslavement. By 1863 he reappeared in the public record working as a caterer and was well-known and respected in the city. It is suggested that Ashbourne catered weddings and buffets for the wealthy in Philadelphia and was selected as one of a handful of local caterers for the 1863 Emancipation Celebration held in the city. While working the event, Ashbourne realized that the process of shaping biscuits by hand was unproductive and tedious.
Some accounts suggest this event began his process to create a device that would guarantee uniform shape, size, and many biscuits produced simultaneously. Before his invention, cooks would roll and shape their biscuits by hand. His design consisted of a board to roll the biscuit dough out, which was hinged to a metal plate with various biscuit cutter shapes mounted to it. Alexander P. Ashbourne eventually left Philadelphia and moved to Oakland, California, where he owned and operated a small grocery store.
Quick Facts
Received patent number 170,460 on November 30th, 1875, for enhancing the biscuit cutter.
Received patent number 163,962 for a coconut oil refining process on June 1st, 1875, patent number 194,287 for a method for treating coconut on August 21st, 1877, and patent number 230,518 for a process for preparing coconut on July 27th, 1880.
Was selected as one of a handful of local caterers for the 1863 Emancipation Celebration held in the city.