This Day in North Carolina History: Jewett's Patent Leg Company

JANUARY 23, 1866:

The genmetal Sssembly passed a resolution asking Governor Jonathan Worth to contact a manufacturer of artificial limbs to help veterans who had lost legs and arms in the war. The state contacted Jewett's Patent Leg Company to do it and they set a temporary factory in Raleigh.

A system was et up so that the veteran incurred no out of pocket costs, even when going to Raleigh to be fitted for the prosthetic limb.

Over five years, the state spent over $81,000.

Two Jewett legs ar on display in North Carolina. Samuel Clark's 1866 leg is currently on display at the NC Museum of History and one is at the visitors center at the Battle of Bentonville. I also found out that there will be one now on display at the Fort Fisher Visitors Center, at least temporarily. I'm not sure if the Fort Fisher one is one of these.

--Old Secesh