Biography.guide
Home › People › Mechanic › James Millholland
Portrait of James Millholland

James Millholland

1812 – 1875

American railway master mechanic

MechanicInventor
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About James Millholland

Lived 1812 – 1875 (aged 62–63). James Millholland was an American mechanic and inventor.

James Millholland (1812–1875) was an American railway master mechanic who is particularly well known for his invention of many railway mechanisms. His association with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company as master machinist spanned fifty years in the early development of the American railroad. He also founded the locomotive shops at Mount Savage, Maryland, the center of the Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad.

Millholland's inventions and contributions include the cast-iron crank axle, wooden spring, plate girder bridge, poppet throttle, anthracite firebox, water grate, drop frame, and steel tires. He was also an early user and advocate of the superheater, the feedwater heater, and the injector. Several of his innovations were adopted as standard practice by the railroad industry.

His son, James A. Millholland, was a railroad executive.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Died
1875, Reading
Occupation
Mechanic, inventor
Nationality

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James Millholland's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James Millholland?

American railway master mechanic (1812–1875)

When was James Millholland born?

James Millholland was born on 6 October 1812 in Baltimore.

When did James Millholland die?

James Millholland died in 1875 in Reading.

What was James Millholland's occupation?

James Millholland was a mechanic and inventor.

What nationality was James Millholland?

James Millholland was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James Millholland

· Wikidata: Q6139788

· DBpedia: James Millholland

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Millholland. https://biography.guide/james-millholland/

MLA: "James Millholland." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-millholland/.

Chicago: "James Millholland." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-millholland/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:19 UTC