.. Walter Hunt made one in 1834 that built on the successes of those who came before him, and it didn’t have to do a chain stitch, but could sew a straight line. The problem was he never patented it because he was afraid American tailors would try to kill him as the French had Thimonnier.
At the same time, American Elias Howe (yes THAT Howe of steam engine fame) bravely built on the Hunt model and improved it using a needle with an eye on it that could make a “lockstitch”.
(Photo: Elias Howe and his 1840 model lockstitch sewing machine)