Thomas
A. Edison 1847-1931
In May of
1913, it was decided by a survey of independent magazine readers
that Thomas
A. Edison was the most useful man in the country.
Although Edison was born on February 11th, 1847,
the impact of his accomplishments are still being felt over
a century later.
When he
was a young boy, doctors feared that he might be brain damaged,
because of the size of his head. However, by 1869, this
odd young man named Thomas Alva Edison had become a full time
inventor. In addition to inventing the phonograph, incandescent
light bulbs, and motion picture camera, Edison established over
1,093 patents earning him the nickname
"The Wizard of Menlo Park."
On April
24th of 1889, The Edison
General Electric Company was organized. In December
of 1903, The Edison Manufacturing Company released its hit film,
The Great Train Robbery, directed by Edwin S. Porter.
On May 21st, 1928, Edison received an honorary medal
from Congress. Then, three years later, on January 6th,
1931, Thomas Edison filed his last patent application.
He died in November of that same year.
Thomas Alva
Edison will be remembered as one of the most prolific inventors
of all time. His patents and
discoveries cover a multitude of subjects, including: electric
lighting, electric railways, secondary batteries, phonographs,
cylinder records, and much, much more. These inventions
have made a significant impact on how science and invention
have progressed in the century following this amazing man's
life.
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For
additional information on Thomas Alva Edison visit these wonderful
sites:
For
some really cool information on Thomas A. Edison, check out
Thomas A. Edison Papers from The State University
of New Jersey Rutgers. The National Park Service, the
Smithsonian Institution, and the New Jersey Historical Commission
sponsor this site. Under the section titled Online Documents
youĖll find a section highlighting the best possible search
methods and EdisonĖs patents and clippings from his scrapbook
and files. Other materials include Edison's Family and
Life, Bibliographies, The Microfilm Edition, The Book Edition
(Errata), EdisonĖs companies separated by year, and maps and
images from Edison's early life.
Source:
The State University of New Jersey Rutgers
Another
great place to visit is the Edison Birthplace Museum.
If you do not live in Ohio, just visit online and you'll find
a collection of rare Edison memorabilia including examples of
many of Edison's early inventions, documents and family mementos.
There is also the history of the Edison family, the Town of
Milan, and the Birthplace House. His inventions are recorded
by year and the patents are by number and application date.
Be sure to take the Birthplace Tour, which is very complete
and includes numerous photos.
Source:
Edison Birthplace Association, Inc.
Think you'd
like to be an inventor? This is the place to find out.
This site includes helpful hints on how to go about the invention
process, while keeping your rights. Also available is
a list of sites devoted solely to inventors.
Source:
Houston Inventor's Association
