THOMAS ALVA EDISON (1847 – 1931)

  Thomas Alva Edison was born on Feb 11, 1847, Milan, Ohio, in the USA. His parents lovingly called him Edison. He was the youngest son of seven children of Samuel Edison. At the time of his birth, Edison was quite normal and healthy; but as time passed Edison developed some hearing problems. His parents took him to several doctors who made thorough medical checkup of the boy, but to no avail. As a result of his partial deafness, Edison took a great interest in reading books, but science was his favorite subject.

Edison is the only scientist who set the record by himself or together for registered patents for 1093 inventions. This record still stands! No other scientist in the world has ever registered as many patents as Edison. Moreover, he has also been credited for creating the world’s first industrial research laboratory.

Edison’s early life was poverty ridden…yet he was not defeated by this crushing poverty and strove to achieve his goal in science. Edison went through extreme hardship and rose to the highest pedestal of recognition. When Edison was still in the prime of his youth, he was regarded as one of the most successful scientists in the world.

Mary Stilwell, a beautiful young lady liked Edison very much and wanted to marry him. One fine day she made a proposal of marriage, he readily accepted and both of them tied the nuptial knot in 1871. At the time Edison married Mary Stilwell, she was only 16 years old and he was about 24. He was so engrossed in his research and experimental works that Mary felt largely deserted and very lonely for most of the time. She plunged into a stage of depression and died in 1884 at early age of 29. At the age of 39 he married a graceful young lady named Mina Miller, who was 20, in 1886.

One after another, Edison invented and discovered things of great scientific importance. Edison surprised everyone by his ability to invent so many things. In his lifetime, Edison registered 389 patents for electric light and power, 195 for the phonograph, 150 for the telegraph, 141 for storage batteries, and 34 for the telephone.

The list of patents could actually be much more, but Edison did not show much interest in registering patents of many of his discoveries and inventions. It was not always successful. Many times he had to abandon his projects after spending a great deal of time and money but nothing could ever discourage Edison as he was such a dedicated inventor and scientist. Edison is among the very few successful scientists in the world who attained the highest status as the most distinguished scientist without receiving a university degree.

At the age of 84 the innovative scientist, Thomas Alva Edison, died on October 18, 1931. After his death, he was given due respect by the worldwide community of scientists. It will never be forgotten that Edison was the pioneer scientist who brought about the technological revolution in the field of electricity.