Thomas A. Edison

Date of Birth: February 11, 1847

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: October 18, 1931

Biography

Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman who has been described as America’s greatest inventor. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. Edison was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory. Born in 1847 in Milan, Ohio, Edison was the seventh and last child of Samuel Ogden Edison Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliott. Despite struggling with formal education and being partially deaf from a young age, Edison was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name.

5 Interesting Facts about Thomas A. Edison

1. Edison only had three months of formal schooling before being educated at home by his mother.

2. He earned his first patent for an electric vote recorder in 1869.

3. Edison created the first industrial research laboratory, located in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

4. He was partially deaf, a condition that began during his childhood and worsened over time.

5. Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877 was his first major success and earned him the nickname “The Wizard of Menlo Park.”

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Thomas A. Edison

1. “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

2. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

3. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

4. “There’s a way to do it better—find it.”

5. “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, Edison’s net worth was estimated to be around $200 million, which is equivalent to over $5 billion today when adjusted for inflation.

Children

Thomas Edison had six children. With his first wife, Mary Stilwell, he had three children: Marion Estelle Edison (nicknamed Dot), Thomas Alva Edison Jr. (nicknamed Dash), and William Leslie Edison. With his second wife, Mina Miller, he had three more children: Madeleine Edison, Charles Edison, and Theodore Miller Edison.