Thomas Alva Edison

Thomas Alva Edison was one of the greatest inventors of all time. He lived from 1847 until 1931.

He was born in Milan, Ohio, in 1847. In 1854 his family moved to Port Huron, Michigan. When he was 12 he got very sick. As a result he became partially deaf. He attended school for only three months there. So, his mother taught him reading, writing and arithmetic.

In 1862, Edison saved a boy from being run over by a train. The boy’s father operated a telegraph machine. As thanks, the father taught Edison how to operate the telegraph. Later, Edison made improvement to the telegraph.

In 1876, Edison started the first the first industrial research laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey. One of his inventions is the long - lasting light bulb.

Thomas Alva Edison died in 1931. When he died all electric current in the country was turned off.

Although he did not have enough formal education and was deaf, he became a famous inventor. Once he said , “ Genius is one ercent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.