EDISON

Born on February 11th in 1847, Thomas Edison rose from humble beginnings to work as an inventor of major technology. Some of the inventions he developed include the telegraph, phonograph, the first commercially practical incandescent electric light bulb, stock ticker, alkaline storage batteries and Kinetograph, a camera for motion pictures. In 1870, Thomas Edison set up his first small laboratory and manufacturing facility in New Jersey, and employed several machinists. As an independent entrepreneur, Edison was able to concentrate on his inventions. In the early 1800s, English inventor Humphry Davy created the first early electric arc lamp  and during the next several decades many scientists worked to perfect electric light bulbs but were unsuccessful in their attempts to commercialize an efficient electric light bulb. Edison was also driven to perfect a commercially practicality, after making improvements in his design he was able to create the first working light bulb in 1879, and began to manufacture and market it for widespread use. Later on Edison set out to develop a company that would deliver the electricity to power and light the cities of the world, and founded the Edison Illuminating Company. The first investor-owned electric utility, which later became the General Electric Corporation. By the time he died he was one of the most well-known and respected Americans in the world. He had been at the forefront of America’s first technological revolution and set the stage for the modern electric world. Throughout his life Edison held more than 1,000 patents for his inventions.