George Henry Corliss was born June 2, 1817, the second child of Dr. Hiram and Susan (Sheldon) Corliss, at Easton, New York, near the Vermont border.
The son of a physician, he attended local schools until age 14, when he began working in a general store in the town of Greenwich, New York.
In 1834 he entered the academy at Castleton, Vermont and graduated in 1838.

Corliss displayed early signs of his mechanical abilities in 1837, after a flood washed away a bridge over the Batten Kill in Greenwich.
He organized other local builders in erection of a replacement structure.
After graduating from Castleton in 1838, he established his own general store in town of Greenwich where he remained for three years.
In January 1839 he married Phebe F. Frost, a native of Canterbury, Connecticut.
Together they had two children, Maria and George, Jr.
During this time, Corliss became more interested in mechanical endeavors.
Around 1841, he decided to give his whole attention to these new tasks, and in 1842 obtained a patent on a machine for sewing boots, shoes and heavy leather.

Corliss moved to Providence, Rhode Island in 1844 with hopes of finding funding to perfect his sewing machine.
In Providence, he found work in the shop of Fairbanks, Bancroft & Company as a draftsman.
However, he soon abandoned work on sewing machines to focus on a new endeavor, improving the stationary steam engine, which at the time was an innefficient or supplemental alternative to water power.
George Henry Corliss was born June 2, 1817, the second child of Dr. Hiram and Susan (Sheldon) Corliss, at Easton, New York, near the Vermont border. The son of a physician, he attended local schools until age 14, when he began working in a general store in the town of Greenwich, New York. In 1834 he entered the academy at Castleton, Vermont and graduated in 1838.
Corliss displayed early signs of his mechanical abilities in 1837, after a flood washed away a bridge over the Batten Kill in Greenwich. He organized other local builders in erection of a replacement structure. After graduating from Castleton in 1838, he established his own general store in town of Greenwich where he remained for three years. In January 1839 he married Phebe F. Frost, a native of Canterbury, Connecticut. Together they had two children, Maria and George, Jr.
During this time, Corliss became more interested in mechanical endeavors. Around 1841, he decided to give his whole attention to these new tasks, and in 1842 obtained a patent on a machine for sewing boots, shoes and heavy leather.
Corliss moved to Providence, Rhode Island in 1844 with hopes of finding funding to perfect his sewing machine. In Providence, he found work in the shop of Fairbanks, Bancroft & Company as a draftsman. However, he soon abandoned work on sewing machines to focus on a new endeavor, improving the stationary steam engine, which at the time was an innefficient or supplemental alternative to water power.
George Henry Corliss