▁experienced ▁great ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁until ▁he ▁entered ▁a ▁partners hip ▁with ▁Matthew ▁B oul ton ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 5 . ▁The ▁new ▁firm ▁of ▁B oul ton ▁and ▁W att ▁was ▁eventually ▁highly ▁successful ▁and ▁W att ▁became ▁a ▁wealth y ▁man . ▁In ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁W att ▁continued ▁to ▁develop ▁new ▁invent ions ▁though ▁none ▁was ▁as ▁significant ▁as ▁his ▁steam ▁engine ▁work . ▁ ▁He ▁developed ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁horse power , ▁and ▁the ▁SI ▁unit ▁of ▁power , ▁the ▁w att , ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁him . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁James ▁W att ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁January ▁ 1 7 3 6 ▁in ▁Green ock , ▁Ren f rew shire , ▁the ▁el dest ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁surv iving ▁children ▁of ▁Ag nes ▁Mu ir head ▁( 1 7 0 3 – 1 7 5 5 ) ▁and ▁James ▁W att ▁( 1 6 9 8 – 1 7 8 2 ). ▁His ▁mother ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁distinguished ▁family , ▁was ▁well ▁educated ▁and ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁of ▁force ful ▁character , ▁while ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁ship w right , ▁ship ▁owner ▁and ▁contract or , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Green ock ' s ▁chief ▁ba ill ie ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 1 . ▁W att s ▁parents ▁were ▁Pres by ter ians ▁and ▁strong ▁C oven an ters , ▁however ▁despite ▁a ▁religious ▁up br ing ing ▁he ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁de ist . ▁W att '