Personal Life
Early Life
Born February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio, Thomas Edison was the son of Sam and Nancy and the youngest of seven children. He had health problems in his early life (this was common for children of the 19th century) and unfortunately, lost 3 of his siblings before they reached adulthood. From an early age Thomas displayed a love for mechanical things, and is said to have had a penchant for chemistry experiments.
In 1854 his family would move to Port Huron, Michigan, where his father decided to work for a lumber business. Edison did not do well in school, and was considered a poor student because he lacked the ability to pay attention. His mother removed him from school at age twelve, to which he would later say, "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had someone to live for, some one I must not disappoint."
For unknown reasons around this same time, Edison went nearly completely deaf. Some believe it was caused by a case of Scarlet Fever. Others think it was a conductor he punched his ear because he thought Edison started a fire in a baggage car. Edison himself thought it was because he was lifted into a car by the ears at a young age. Whatever the reason, this resulted in his becoming a more solitary figure. This actually was probably a good thing for him in the long run, because it allowed him to study privately and follow other solitary pursuits which helped him become one of the world's greatest inventors.
In 1859 Edison got his first job selling newspapers and candy on the Grand Trunk Railroad. During this time he set up a chemistry lab in a baggage car and began conducting experiments. He stopped pursuing these activities when he accidentally started a fire.
Although his childhood was difficult, his curiosity would serve him well when he grew up.
Marriages
Later on, in December 1871 after he had established his lab in Menlo Park, he married Mary Stilwell. Mary was a 16 year old employee of Edison's. They had never spoken. One day he walked up to her and asked her to marry him. On his wedding night, he stayed in his lab until midnight, almost forgetting that he'd been married the same day. In their thirteen years of marriage the couple had 3 children; Marion, Thomas Jr., and William. Sadly, at age 29, Mary's health deteriorated and in 1884 she died. Although many books say she died of typhoid, her death certificate says that she died of "congestion of the brain".
Edison's second marriage was to Mina Miller in 1886. They lived in a 23 room mansion in West Orange, where Edison had set up his new lab. They also had three children; Madeleine, Charles, and Theodore. She was a very devoted wife, and dealt with most of her husband's social life. She would share the last 45 years of Edison's life with him.
Friend Ford
Thomas Edison became close friends with Henry Ford in their later years, often seen conversing over a cup of coffee. They planned camping trips together, and even owned houses adjacent to one another’s. While Edison started inventing long before Ford did, Ford grew up having Edison as his mentor and role model. In the late 1890s, Ford approached Edison about his plans to make and perfect a gasoline powered automobile, and he was further encouraged to pursue these plans by Edison. Known by even fewer, Edison and Ford worked with each-other to make an affordable electric vehicle. At about the same time ford motor company was founded in 1903, Edison had made inroads with battery technology. Although Edison had pushed Ford to continue with his gasoline vehicles, he was soon to be denouncing them.
Death
Edison died in Llewellyn Park, New Jersey, on October 18th 1931. On Thomas Edison's last breath, Henry Ford convinced Edison's son to put a test tube over his father's mouth to capture his last breath and seal it with paraffin wax. The exact reasons for why Henry Ford did this are unknown, but it is rumored that he thought the soul exited the body during the last breath, and that scientists of the future might be able to resurrect Edison with it. The test tube remains in the Henry Ford Museum today.
Early Life
Born February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio, Thomas Edison was the son of Sam and Nancy and the youngest of seven children. He had health problems in his early life (this was common for children of the 19th century) and unfortunately, lost 3 of his siblings before they reached adulthood. From an early age Thomas displayed a love for mechanical things, and is said to have had a penchant for chemistry experiments.
In 1854 his family would move to Port Huron, Michigan, where his father decided to work for a lumber business. Edison did not do well in school, and was considered a poor student because he lacked the ability to pay attention. His mother removed him from school at age twelve, to which he would later say, "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had someone to live for, some one I must not disappoint."
For unknown reasons around this same time, Edison went nearly completely deaf. Some believe it was caused by a case of Scarlet Fever. Others think it was a conductor he punched his ear because he thought Edison started a fire in a baggage car. Edison himself thought it was because he was lifted into a car by the ears at a young age. Whatever the reason, this resulted in his becoming a more solitary figure. This actually was probably a good thing for him in the long run, because it allowed him to study privately and follow other solitary pursuits which helped him become one of the world's greatest inventors.
In 1859 Edison got his first job selling newspapers and candy on the Grand Trunk Railroad. During this time he set up a chemistry lab in a baggage car and began conducting experiments. He stopped pursuing these activities when he accidentally started a fire.
Although his childhood was difficult, his curiosity would serve him well when he grew up.
Marriages
Later on, in December 1871 after he had established his lab in Menlo Park, he married Mary Stilwell. Mary was a 16 year old employee of Edison's. They had never spoken. One day he walked up to her and asked her to marry him. On his wedding night, he stayed in his lab until midnight, almost forgetting that he'd been married the same day. In their thirteen years of marriage the couple had 3 children; Marion, Thomas Jr., and William. Sadly, at age 29, Mary's health deteriorated and in 1884 she died. Although many books say she died of typhoid, her death certificate says that she died of "congestion of the brain".
Edison's second marriage was to Mina Miller in 1886. They lived in a 23 room mansion in West Orange, where Edison had set up his new lab. They also had three children; Madeleine, Charles, and Theodore. She was a very devoted wife, and dealt with most of her husband's social life. She would share the last 45 years of Edison's life with him.
Friend Ford
Thomas Edison became close friends with Henry Ford in their later years, often seen conversing over a cup of coffee. They planned camping trips together, and even owned houses adjacent to one another’s. While Edison started inventing long before Ford did, Ford grew up having Edison as his mentor and role model. In the late 1890s, Ford approached Edison about his plans to make and perfect a gasoline powered automobile, and he was further encouraged to pursue these plans by Edison. Known by even fewer, Edison and Ford worked with each-other to make an affordable electric vehicle. At about the same time ford motor company was founded in 1903, Edison had made inroads with battery technology. Although Edison had pushed Ford to continue with his gasoline vehicles, he was soon to be denouncing them.
Death
Edison died in Llewellyn Park, New Jersey, on October 18th 1931. On Thomas Edison's last breath, Henry Ford convinced Edison's son to put a test tube over his father's mouth to capture his last breath and seal it with paraffin wax. The exact reasons for why Henry Ford did this are unknown, but it is rumored that he thought the soul exited the body during the last breath, and that scientists of the future might be able to resurrect Edison with it. The test tube remains in the Henry Ford Museum today.