Gutenberg

Gutenberg, Johann (c. 1410-1468), was born of a good family at Mainz, and went from there to Strasburg. He was a man of much versatility, and devoted his energies to many objects, at one time having a scheme for polishing precious stones, at another the making of looking-glasses; but the invention which brought him renown, though little else, was the use of movable type in printing. In 1446 he was back in Mainz, where a John Fust or Faust aided him more than once with funds for carrying on his printing. In 1445 and the following years he printed a folio Latin Bible, but his work was not profitable, and eventually he died in poverty, without children, and almost without friends.