The evolution of the spinning machine came to its fruition in 1779 with the invention of the spinning mule. This device borrowed from James Hargreaves ' spinning jenny and Richard Arkwright's water frame. Textile industries worldwide used the mule for almost two hundred years, during which time the machine's design was modified only slightly. Despite the overwhelming success of the spinning mule, however, its inventor, Samuel Crompton, enjoyed little prosperity. In fact, the last half-century of his life was spent fighting the industry that had effectively stolen his machine.

Crompton was born near Bolton, England, in 1753. His father died when he was five, and he learned at an early age to help his mother with all the household tasks. Among these was working with a spinning jenny, the yarn from which was sold at a local market. Crompton's mother was a stern woman with a short temper, a temper...