I have not failed 10000 times, I have successfully found 10000 ways that will not work,
These are the words uttered by one of the greatest inventors of America, Thomas Alva Edison. He was born in Ohio on 11th February 1847 and died at the age of 87 in the year 1931 on October 18th. He is well known for his contributions to electronic power generation, mass communication, etc. Also known as the ‘Wizard of Menlo Park,’ after the world’s first Industrial Research Laboratory was created by him.
Thomas Edison. Image Credit: howstuffworks
Early Life of Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison grew up in Port Huron, Michigan, where he lived with his family. He was the youngest child after six others. He did minimal schooling as he liked to read books and technology always kept him awestruck. At an early age when he started his education in Michigan. He was not very good at schooling and his teacher was always annoyed by him. The teacher kept complaining to his mother about Edison being an irritating child who kept asking annoying questions.
Edison was taught by his mother, the one person he looked up to and admired. Her methods were reading, writing, and arithmetic but mainly encouraged him to read, read, and read. In addition, the more he read the more his curiosity grew. At the early age of 12, he wanted to know what the whole wide world was all about. That is where his story starts picking up pace.
Life in Baggage Car Of Thomas Edison
The Laboratory in Baggage Car. Image Credit: thomasedbulb
In 1859 time when the railroad began to crisscross, mapping all over America. 12-year-old Thomas Edison seek his fortune through on railway station. On his demand, Thomas Edison got his first job selling candy and newspapers on the daily run of the Grand Trunk Railway. Also with the help of the conductor, he got his place on the train, a corner in a language car.
In the corner of that luggage car, he set up his laboratory. Where he did most of the chemical experiments. Not only did his interest stop at chemistry in that luggage corner of the train but he also got interested in printing.
The downfall and rise of Thomas Edison in his teenage.
In 1862 when he was 14 he started printing his newspaper. It became popular because it was the first newspaper so produced on the railroad train anywhere and at any time. Thomas Edison named it “The Weekly Herald”. It was a single sheet of paper consisting of general information and gossip local and international news, business facts, and figures.
The Weekly Herald. Image Credit: artsandculture
At the height of his success as a newspaper owner, candy boy, and a chemist two major accidents took place. Unfortunately, in the first accident, he almost lost his life. The second accident took place when his chemical jar broke open and set fire to the baggage car. Following the accident, the conductor pushed him out of the train with all his curiosities. After these incidents, his ability to hear was impaired. Instead of taking this as a demotivation, Edison took it as an advantage to focus more on his chemical experiments.
From Unemployed to Award Winner: The First Invention.
At the age of 16, an unemployed candy guy, a chemist, and a newspaper guy but he got to learn something. How to send a message and receive messages over a telegraph ticket.
Universal Stock Ticker. Image Credit: artsandculture
With his knowledge to send and receive messages over a telegraph. In no time he became the fastest telegraph operator of that time. With this relentless attitude, he never sat in a single place and was always in a hurry to operate the telegraph across the line.
With all his expertise and knowledge as a telegraph operator, he worried less about his low earnings. He worked hard and invented the Universal stock ticker, his first major invention. Impressed by his invention the Western Union paid him 40,000 Dollars. With all this money finally in 1876 he made his laboratory and settled in New Jersey with his young bride Mary Edison.
The Pouring of Invention From Menlo Park.
Edison with Phonograph. Image Credit: Britannica
After the candy boy made his dream come true Laboratory, he announced it to the world. The announcement went like “I produce a minor invention every month and a major invention every 6 months.” In his laboratory, he made many inventions and eventually started learning about electricity as well. In 1877, he achieved the discovery of Phonograph. Above all, this discovery was a game-changer for Edison after which he became widely famous as the ‘Wizard of Menlo Park.’
After that, his next invention was the Carbon Telephone Transmitter. He was able to create a microphone that worked by modulating direct current. The carbon in the microphone separated two plates of metal that changed the resistance of the pressure of sound waves. In addition, he later found a way to have a more improved microphone, that was, by roasting the carbon. He named it the Bell Microphone.
History remembers Edison because of many inventions, but, the creation of the Electric Bulb keeps him in the limelight forever. History also claims that many scientists before Edison were trying to develop an incandescent lamp. Edison wasn’t the only one, though, he is remembered because his creation outdid every possibility ever recognized. This led to the establishment of Edison Electric Light Company and Edison was granted $30,000 from the leading financiers of that time for the research and development of this product. In 1880, the production of light bulbs began by Thomas Edison’s Company and it was widely marketed as their new product.
The Bulb Created By Thomas Edison. Image Credit: Bulbs.com
Conclusion
Edison is known for holding most of the patents in the world, 1093 patents to be exact. He devoted his life to research and experiments. Even though he had a rough start as a poor student, the light of curiosity burned deep enough to create light for this world. He certainly believed in practical experiments for improving the necessary. Moreover, every small job that he did somehow made him come closer to his achievements as an inventor. His death in 1931 was mourned worldwide, as the man who was the one to build the foundation for technology and the modern world electricity revolution.