Francis Wolle (1817-1893) patented in the United States, and later in France and England, a machine that he devised for making paper bags. It was the first of its kind, and covers the fundamental principle of the many similar machines that are now used.

    Francis Wolle (1817-1893) invented the paper bag- making machine in 1852 in the United States. Francis Wolle, botanist, born in Jacobsburg, near Nazareth, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1817, was educated in the Moravian parochial school in Bethlehem, and then became a clerk in his father's store. Subsequently he taught, first at Nazareth hall and then in the higher departments of the Moravian parochial school in Bethlehem. He became in 1857 vice-principal of the Moravian seminary for young ladies, and in 1861 principal of that institution, which place he held until 1881. He was ordained a clergyman in the Moravian church in 1861. In 1852 he patented in the United States, and later in France and England, a machine that he devised for making paper bags. It was the first of its kind, and covers the fundamental principle of the many similar machines that are now used. Further advancements during the 1870s included glued paper sacks and the gusset design, producing the types of paper bags used today.

    In 1869, Wolle and his brother and other leading paper bag makers founded the Union Paper Bag Machine Company. Union Bag and Paper Co.'s decision to open a plant in Savannah was great news to depressed Savannah in 1935. The company, founded by paper bag machine inventor Francis Wolle, opened its $4 million plant with 500 workers the next year. Savannah citizens streamed through the plant on opening day to ooh and ahh at the production of a thousand feet of paper per minute. The plant is still in operation today and is owned by International Paper.

Milestones:
1852 Francis Wolle invents and patents paper bag machine.
1869 Wolle and his brother and other paper bag makers found Union Paper Bag Machine Company.
1870 Margret Knight invents a device to cut, fold and paste paper bag bottoms
1871 Charles Annon files patent application similar to Knight's design
1871 Knight, filed a patent interference suit against Annan.and the court rules in her favor
1872 132,890 (US) issued November 12, 1872 to Charles Annan for paper bag machine
1883 Charles Stilwell awarded patent for making Square-Bottom Paper Bag w/ pleated sides
1890 William Purvis awarded a patent for an improved paper bag machine
1891 Purvis sells patent license to Union Paper Bag Machine Co., now part of International Paper invention, history, inventor of, history of, who invented, invention of, fascinating facts