Howard Henry Peckham was a very smart man who lived a long time ago. He liked to study and learn about things. He learned so much that he became an expert on the history of patents.
Now, a patent is a special thing that people get when they invent something new. It's like a certificate that says they came up with the idea first and they own the rights to it. They can make money by selling their idea or letting others use it for a fee.
Howard Henry Peckham was really interested in patents and what they can tell us about history. He wrote lots of books and articles about patents and how they influenced things like technology and business. He looked at old patents and studied them to see what they could tell us about how things were made a long time ago.
His work was really important and helped lots of people understand the history of inventions and how they changed the world. Even though he passed away a long time ago, his work is still remembered by people who study patents and history today.