| Years |
Age |
Events |
| 1847 |
0 (born) |
Born in Milan, Ohio on February 11 |
| 1854 |
7 |
Family moves to Port Huron, Michigan |
| 1859-1863 |
12 |
Sells newspapers and sundries on train between Port Huron and Detroit |
| 1862 |
15 |
At age 15, saves Jimmie MacKenzie and starts telegraph operator training |
| 1864-1867 |
17 |
Works as a traveling telegrapher |
| 1866 |
19 |
Moves to Louisville, Kentucky, works for Western Union |
| 1868 |
21 |
Patents first invention, electric vote recorder |
| 1869 |
22 |
Works on stock ticker and printing telegraph in New York |
| 1870 |
23 |
First substantial income from stock ticker invention |
| 1871 |
24 |
Marries Mary Stilwell |
| 1873 |
26 |
Daughter, Marion Estelle Edison, born |
| 1874 |
27 |
Invents quadruplex telegraph |
| 1876 |
29 |
Son, Thomas Alva Edison Jr., born; establishes Menlo Park laboratory; improves telephone transmitter |
| 1877 |
30 |
Invents phonograph |
| 1878 |
31 |
Son, William Leslie Edison, born; joins Theosophical Society; begins work on electric light system |
| 1879 |
32 |
Patents electric lamp |
| 1880 |
33 |
First commercial application of incandescent light bulb on SS Columbia; founds Edison Illuminating Company |
| 1882 |
35 |
Pearl Street Station switched on |
| 1883 |
36 |
First standardized incandescent lighting system in Roselle, NJ; discovers “Edison Effect” |
| 1884 |
37 |
Wife Mary Stilwell dies |
| 1885 |
38 |
Buys property in Fort Myers, Florida |
| 1886 |
39 |
Marries Mina Miller; moves to West Orange, NJ |
| 1887 |
40 |
Establishes new laboratory in West Orange, NJ |
| 1888 |
41 |
Daughter, Madeleine Edison, born; begins work on motion pictures |
| 1889 |
42 |
Painted by Abraham Archibald Anderson |
| 1890 |
43 |
Son, Charles Edison, born; tells Henry Villard he wants to retire from lighting business; first American electrocution using AC current |
| 1891 |
44 |
Demonstrates motion picture camera and viewing device (Kinetograph and Kinetoscope) |
| 1893 |
46 |
Opens first motion picture studio (“Black Maria”) |
| 1894 |
47 |
Films Leonard–Cushing Fight; opens first motion picture exhibition parlor in New York City |
| 1895 |
48 |
Demonstrates X-ray device; concentrated activity on electromagnetic ore-separation work |
| 1896 |
49 |
Begins work on nickel-iron battery |
| 1898 |
51 |
Son, Theodore Miller Edison, born |
| 1900 |
53 |
Demonstrates improved storage battery |
| 1901 |
54 |
Forms Edison Phonograph Company; visits Sudbury, Ontario for mining |
| 1903 |
56 |
Films “The Great Train Robbery”; issues share of Edison Storage Battery Company; assistant Clarence Dally dies from radiation exposure |
| 1906 |
59 |
Becomes owner of Milan, Ohio, birthplace |
| 1907 |
60 |
Introduces new Edison Diamond Disc Phonograph |
| 1910 |
63 |
New York Times interview on religion; begins work on talking motion pictures |
| 1911 |
64 |
Demonstrates “kinetophone” (synchronized sound and motion pictures) |
| 1912 |
65 |
Forms General Film Company to distribute motion pictures |
| 1914 |
67 |
Begins work on Edison Portland Cement Company |
| 1915 |
68 |
Heads Naval Consulting Board during World War I; supports women’s suffrage |
| 1920 |
73 |
Introduces new Edison Diamond Disc Phonograph; speaks about working on “spirit phone” |
| 1927 |
80 |
Introduces long-playing Diamond Discs |
| 1928 |
81 |
Joins Fort Myers Civitan Club |
| 1929 |
82 |
Celebrates 50th anniversary of invention of light bulb; photographed with Henry Ford and Harvey S. Firestone |
| 1930 |
83 |
Drives first electric MU train |
| 1931 |
84 (died) |
Dies on October 18 in West Orange, New Jersey |
