Thomas Edison Facts
85Perhaps one of the greatest inventors and scientists is Thomas Edison. Facts about his life are well documented, but are in a number of different locations across the web. So I have drawn some of these facts together here.
Thomas Edison was born on February 11 1847 in Milan, Ohio, but grew up in Port Huron, Michigan.
Edison had six brothers and sisters.
After having to leave school, his mother Nancy taught him at home.
At the age of 9, his mother bought Edison a chemistry set. This sparked his fascination with the sciences. He did every experiment he could in the basement of his home. There is a story, that one day he was experimenting in a railcar, after which the guard threw him of.
Edison began his business activities early in his life, selling newspapers at the local train station. He then went on to print his own newspaper.
Thomas Edison was deaf, starting to loss his hearing when 12. This could have been due to the scarlet fever he caught as a boy. His deafness did not bother Edison, he claimed it helped him concentrate.
At the age of 14 at the Grand Trunk Railroad, Edison saved a 3-year-old; Jimmie MacKenzie. This was another turning point for him, as Jimmie’s father was a station official, who was so grateful, offered Edison a job as a telegraph operator. Edison later became a telegraph operator for Western Union.
Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwell on Christmas Day in 1871. Mary was his employee at the time, and they had only known each other for 2 months. Together they had 3 children – Marion, Thomas and William. Mary died in 1884 from a possible brain tumour.
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Two years after his first wife died, Edison married Mina Miller. He proposed by morse code.
When X-rays were discovered in 1895, Edison developed a X-ray focus tube, or fluoroscope. It was a commercial success and its developments were used in hospitals throughout the world. However, Clarence Dally, the glassblower involved, used to test each tube by exposing his hand to x-rays, the common belief at the time was that the rays were not harmful. Unfortunately, Clarence developed cancer and died.
Edison became embroiled in a battle with Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla over electrical power distribution. Edison had developed DC, while Tesla believed AC current was more efficient. The differences became more and more bitter, with Edison conducting public electrocutions of animals in order to demonstrate that AC was more dangerous. Despite being opposed to capital punishment, Edison even invested the electric chair. In the end, AC distribution won out – but Edison won the business battle.
Thomas Edison died on October 18, 1931 in West Orange, New Jersey. At the end of his life he had filed just under 1,100 US patents.
Some other of Thomas Edison inventions:
1868 Vote Recorder
1869 Printing Telegraph
1869 Stock Ticker
1872 Automatic Telegraph
1876 Electric Pen
1877 Carbon Telephone Transmitter
1877 Phonograph
1879 Dynamo
1878 Thomas Edison founded the Edison Electric Light Company
1879 Incandescent Electric Lamp
1880 Electric Lamp and Manufacturing Process
1881 Electric Motor
1881 Manufacture of Carbons for Incandescent Lamps
1881 Bamboo Carbons Filament for Incandescent Lamps
1889 Edison Electric Light Company renamed to Edison General Electric Company.
1892 General Electric Co. created.
1900 Storage Battery
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Yes I agree with Jay Jay, interesting hub.But what of Guglielmo Marconi, perhaps I should write a hub about him. It would be interesting to put both men in a room to discuss science and then video them. David
Thanks for the comment bearclawmedia. I must admit I hadn't thought about Marconi, I look forward to reading your hub on him.
intersting
He i a good inventer
pretty cool
Hmmm when did he created this? because i need it's date for a research project
I am from Ohio, and we did learn about Thomas Alva Edison as we grew up. The utility company in my area was named, Ohio Edison. I didn't know that he was deaf, though. Good and interesting information.
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Very nice and resourcful helped me out alot with my reserch about edison. Yet he was not deaf h was hard at hearing. Sorry to correct you but you do need to fix that. But still a very nice resorce for reaserch.
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If you look at my hub, http://hubpages.com/hub/Thomas-Edison-Was-Actually you will learn that Edison had a major influence on the cement manufacturing industry. Some say Edison worked in cement first, and invented the electrical devices to run his cement equipment that he developed.
Keep on hubbing!
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i like it helped me for my project
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do u know when thomas edison stoped learning at home.
jayjay40 2 years ago
interesting hub, I enjoyed reading it