On December 30, 1781, U.S. Patent No. X36 issued to William Pollard of Philadelphia on spinning cotton by water power:

In his June 29, 1790, Petition to the Patent Board, Pollard explained that he purchased fa model of Sir Richard Arkwright’s “machine for Roving and Spinning of Cotton” that had been brought to the United States at great risk and potentially heavy penalty. Pollard built a small scale from the model but it didn’t work. Pollard altered his model, perfecting his own machine, and invited the board’s inspection, so that they can see the “visible and material” differences between them, his own being able to work from twenty to twenty thousand spindles if adequate force is supplied.

His petition was successful, as noted above, and shortly after the issuance of his patent, Pollard wrote to Thomas Jefferson on June 26,1792:

Sir:

Having brought the Machine for spinning Cotton to perfection, which your board was pleased to grant me a Patent for; and having erected a small Mill which will shew in some measure to what extent it may be carried, and its usefullness in such a Country as ours, I shall be very hapy if you, Sir, Mr. Randolph and General Knox will honor me with a visit, I think it will please you because it promises to be very usefull, if you can spare any hour this Week and be pleased to let me know I will write to or call on the other Gentlemen, any other Gentlemen I shall be glad to see; I think it probable that our worthy President wou’d be pleased to see it if you, Sir, wou’d be pleased to mention it to him, I am very respectfully Sir your most obedt. Servant

Wm. Pollard

Pollard’s mill was not a commercial success, so much so that it may have held back the cotton industry in Philadelphia for many years.