James Sargent
American locksmith and businessman
About James Sargent
Lived 1824 – 1910 (aged 85). James Sargent was an American locksmith.
James Sargent (1824–1910) was an American locksmith and businessman. He founded the Sargent & Greenleaf company.
Biography Sargent was born in Chester, Vermont on December 1, 1824. He married Angelina Foster in 1847; they had one daughter.
In 1865, Sargent established the Sargent & Greenleaf company.
Later in life, he founded the Sargent Automated Railway Signal Company, one of several predecessors of the General Railway Signal company.
He died at his home in Rochester, New York on January 12, 1910, and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Notable innovations In 1857 Sargent had designed the "Sargent's Magnetic Bank Lock", said to be the first successful key changeable combination lock. In 1880 Sargent connected one of his combination locks to a delay timer, creating the first time-delay combination locks.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped James Sargent's
Frequently asked questions
Who was James Sargent?
American locksmith and businessman (1824–1910)
When was James Sargent born?
James Sargent was born on 1 December 1824 in Chester.
When did James Sargent die?
James Sargent died on 12 January 1910 in Rochester.
What was James Sargent's occupation?
James Sargent was a locksmith.
What nationality was James Sargent?
James Sargent was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Sargent. https://biography.guide/james-sargent/
MLA: "James Sargent." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-sargent/.
Chicago: "James Sargent." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-sargent/.
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