Elijah McCoy's parents were slaves who fled Kentucky in 1837, via the Underground Railroad.

McCoy grew up in Canada, where he developed an early fascination with machinery. His father, a successful lumberman, took notice and sent him to Edinburgh, Scotland to study mechanical engineering. During his apprenticeship in Scotland, he became a master mechanic and engineer.

Despite his education, on his return to the US the best job he could get was as a locomotive fireman. One of his duties, was to hop off the train to oil various parts of the steam engine during its frequent stops for lubrication. This job was very risky, since moving trains often collided with trains that were stopped on the tracks for oiling.

In 1872, McCoy invented and patented lubricating devices that for the first time made it possible to oil the engines and moving parts of locomotives, steamships, oceanliners and industrial machinery while they were in motion.

Belittled at first as 'nigger oil cups," the superior quality of his lubricators quickly set the industry standard. Soon manufacturers demanded that any new machinery they purchased come equipped with lubricators that were 'the real McCoy."