In Milan, Ohio on February 11, 1847, someone was born, who was not just an ordinary person. This someone was named Thomas Alva Edison. He would just do anything to invent something. Whatever it took he did it. When he got an idea he would not give up. The phonograph, the light bulb, the movie camera, and sewing machine are just some of his many inventions that helped change the world.
Thomas did not go to school although he was a great reader. His mom tutored him at home. When he was twelve he got his first job at the train station as a train boy selling candy and newspapers. Books were so important to him that he spent all his money on them. One day while trying to catch a train a trainman reached and grabbed him by the ears. While pulling Edison up, something cracked in his ears and right after that he began to go deaf.
In 1871, Thomas Edison married Mary Stilwell. Thomas and Mary had a couple of kids together. Thirteen years later she died, and in 1886 he married Mina Miller.
When Thomas had made enough money he wanted to buy a laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. He paid a group of scientist to think of inventions and see if the inventions would work. That setup worked so well other companies did this too. Now today every company and university in the whole world has a research department, and it all began with Edison's group in Menlo Park.
He is most famous for the invention of the electric light bulb also known as the incandescent lamp {in-kandes'-ent}. He had burned himself with candles so many times, he wanted a way to see without a candle. In 1878 he began experimenting and it took him just over a year to invent a practical light bulb. Edison founded the Electric Light Company in 1878.
In his 70's he still worked sixteen hours a day, and was one of the most famous men in America. By the time he died at West Orange, New Jersey on October 18, 1931 he had created over 1000 inventions.
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