Peter C. Hewitt—who is much in the eye of the scientific world by
reason of his invention of an electric “convertor” and his discovery
of a wonderful method of electric lighting—is the grandson of the late
Peter Cooper, the philanthropist. Mr. Hewitt was born in New York city
in 1861, his father being Abram Stevens Hewitt, who held the office
of mayor of the metropolis from 1887 to 1889. After being educated by
private tutors, he entered the Columbia university, New York city, and
on graduating therefrom studied for some years in a technical school
in New Jersey. Afterward he became connected with the glue factory
established by his grandfather and owned by his father. But that bent
toward scientific investigations which seems to have been born in him,
prompted him to devote himself to experimental work in the laboratory.
A portion of the result of such work has already been alluded to.
There are not wanting indications that the electric light devised by
Mr. Hewitt will, to a very great extent, take the place of that now
furnished by the arc or incandescent filament. It is described as “soft
sunlight.” Mr. Hewitt is married, his wife being Lucy, daughter of the
late Frank Work. He is popular socially, and his private charities
prove that he has inherited his grandfather’s great-heartedness to no
small degree.