Thomas Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan Ohio. Thomas Edison was one of most famous American inventor and businessman in nineteenth century. He invented many great and remarkable devices during that period. His most famous inventions such as the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and electric incandescent light bulb. Those inventions bring great influences around the world; also his inventions improve the society. During Thomas Edison’s entire life, he created more than 2000 inventions as well he acquired 1093 patents in the Untied States. Also Thomas Edison became a successful businessman. He manufactures his inventions and selling them to the markets.
Thomas Edison’s father was Samuel Ogden Edison. Samuel Edison was lived at Vienna, Ontario where he met his wife Nancy Mathews Elliot and his four children were born. In 1837, Thomas Edison’s father joined to the Mackenzie Rebellion lead by William Mackenzie in the south of Ontario. When the Rebellion was fail, Samuel Edison brings his wife and children escaped to the United States. Thomas Edison’s father decided lived at Milan Ohio where Thomas Edison and his other two children were born. Samuel Edison and Nancy Mathews have seven children; Thomas Edison was youngest one in the family. Later in 1854, Thomas Edison’s family moved to Port Huron, Michigan. When Thomas Edison went to the school, He always ask a lot of questions in the class caused his teacher was very dissatisfied to him. Finally three month later, the teacher lost his patience kicked Thomas Edison out of the school. Later Thomas Edison was home school by his mother. Thomas Edison was very interesting in science and his mother bought him a scientific book called “The School Of Natural Philosophy”. Thomas Edison was starting try to experiment in his home. Thomas Edison almost burns the house, his parents let him moved his laboratory to the basement. Thomas Edison need money to continues his experiments, so he decided work as a newsboy on the new Grand Trunk Railway selling candy and snacks. One day, he had set up his laboratory in the baggage car of the train, so he can finish his experiments during his break. Unfortunately, the chemicals product he brings in the train causes a fire. Thomas Edison gets kick out of the train.
When Thomas Edison was sixteenth year old, he working at Grand Trunk Railway in Port Huron as a telegraph operator, however he got fired because he almost burn the office. After he travel to different states and still working as a telegraph operator at different office. In 1868, Thomas Edison quitted his job, and he starts focusing on his inventions. He stays on Boston to find investors and convince them to finance his inventions. In 1869, Thomas Edison obtains his patented on his invention electrical vote recorder. However, after a few failures he lost the confidence of his investors. Thomas Edison moved to New York. He met one of his investor Franklin L. Pope who invests his early inventions stock ticker. One day, the master ticker tape machine is not working cause a big problems in many of New York business. Thomas Edison helps Franklin Pope fix the machine because that Western Union hired him as a engineering to take care their equipment. After a short time working at Western Union, Thomas Edison’s inventions got attention from his boss. His boss decided to spend $40,000 to buy all his new inventions. Thomas Edison took the money and invests it in his first factory building in Newark. He starts manufactures his inventions the new visions of stock tickers and telegraphic devices. All of his workers willing to work longer because they trust and respected Thomas Edison’s inventions and his ability. At that time, Thomas Edison fall in love with Mary Stilwell, she was one of Thomas Edison’s employees. They married in 1871. After a few years, Mary Stilwell was born three children for Thomas Edison. In 1876, Thomas Edison decided to move to Menlo Park, which a large places so he could spread his inventions laboratory.
In November 1877, Thomas Edison invent his first major inventions was phonograph. The phonograph is simple machine, but it allowed recording the sound of the human voice. After a year, everyone around the world knew about his inventions.
Menlo Park where his laboratory was located became famous place. Many of people came to see the showcase of the phonograph. In 1878, Thomas Edison starts expanding his inventions factory, and also builds a shopping store behind the laboratory. So he could sell his inventions to the public. Later Thomas Edison starts continuous to his other inventions. He starts to investigation how to create a light bulb that can stay longer time. Before Thomas Edison start making the light bulb, there have other inventor was working on it, but no one can let the light bulb work longer. Eventually, on October 21, 1879, Thomas Edison’s light bulbs can continuous work forty hours. Thomas Edison and his team try to use the incandescent light bulb in the laboratory and his home. In 1880, Thomas Edison believes the incandescent bulbs can able to produce and sell it to the public. Also he builds the Edison Electric Light Company to find way to use electricity to light the incandescent bulbs. In 1882, Thomas Edison uses his incandescent bulb in all the office building and houses on the Pearl Street. Many people came to the Pearl Street see the all of the building and houses is light with electricity. This became a great achievement in Thomas Edison’s life. Also Thomas Edison became a rich and famous people. Many of business and investors want to invest Thomas Edison’s inventions.
In 1884, Thomas Edison’s wife Mary Stilwell was died because of the fever. During that time, Thomas Edison was very sorrow and decadent. After a year, Thomas Edison met his second wife Mina Miller. They got married at Akron, Ohio on 1886. He and his wife had three children Madeline, Charles, and Theodore. In 1887, Thomas Edison decided move out the Menlo Park and move to a larger place for his laboratory at West Orange. This place is Thomas Edison spent rest of his life in this laboratory to create new inventions called motion picture camera. Also he continuous to improves his earlier inventions. Thomas Edison was died on October 18, 1931.
2) The website, www.menloparkmuseum.org, contain more detail text compare with other website I was search earlier. It tells me very detail information about Thomas Edison’s life and his inventions. There was no video, sound recording, or any other links, but there are six photos including four different age’s Thomas Edison’s photo such as childhood, teenage, adult, and senior. One of the pictures is Menlo Park where the Thomas Edison first laboratory was located. Another picture is a drawing of incandescent light bulbs looks like.
3) I would prefer a video links and more picture of the Thomas Edison’s inventions. Also I found myself search for more information about the motion picture camera that Thomas Edison invented. I feel those inventions was very interesting because right now everywhere we have electricity light bulbs, sound recorder, and picture camera…etc. Our society getting better because of those inventors and their inventions.
