Mergenthaler, Ottmar

mer'gan-ta-ler, Ottmar (1854-1899), a German-American inventor. He was born in Wurtemburg and died in Baltimore. Educated as a watchmaker, he came to this country in 1872 and became a repairer of clocks and electric bells in the government buildings at Washington. He also made himself useful in perfecting the instruments of the signal service. In 1876 he resigned and took up his residence at Baltimore, giving his attention to the invention of a typesetting machine. After repeated changes of plans he produced the Mergenthaler linotype. See Linotype