William Leggo

William Augustus Leggo (25 January 1830 – 21 July 1915) was a Canadian inventor, engraver and businessperson. He is noted for co-inventing the half-tone engraver with George-Édouard Desbarats. He had several patents to his name, including leggotyping and granulated photography.

Photograph of Leggo taken in 1871

Leggo was born in the City of Quebec. Desbarats and Leggo founded the New York Daily Graphic in 1873, the first daily illustrated paper. While it was a pioneering effort, it was not a financial success, and Desbarats eventually returned to Montreal, leaving Leggo in New York.[1]

Leggo died in 1915 at Lachute, Quebec.