James Watt was born on January 19, 1736, in the town of Greenock, Scotland. Watt came from a good family. His great-grandfather was a stern Covenanter who had been killed at Bridge of Dee, and his grandfather was a man of decided ability and great natural shrewdness who rose to high position in the town, and was highly respected and honored. Watt's father was famous for his skill in the making of the most delicate instruments, and was also a man of position and influence in the community. Watt's mother, Agnes Muirhead, was a kind, sweet, and helpful lady. Watt's mother had lost several of her children previously borne, and was extremely overprotective of Watt. Therefore, it was impossible for Watt to attend regularly, so he stayed home and studied with his mother. Watt was a precocious child, and he liked taking pieces of toys apart to construct new ones...