Thomas Alva Edison is one of the most prolific inventors in history and holds over 1,093 US patents. Most of his inventions were based on telecommunications. Some of Thomas Edison's more notable inventions include electricity distribution in 1880, the mechanical vote recorder, electric car battery, recorded music (sound recording & reproducing phonograph in 1878), two-way telegraph in 1892, motion picture cameras (the Kinetograph) and the stock ticker. This photo was taken circa 1901 in his laboratory located in East Orange New Jersey. Thomas Edison was born in Milan Ohio on February 11th 1847 and died due to complications of diabetes in Llewellyn Park West Orange, New Jersey on October 18th 1931.

Famous inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford with naturalist author John Burroughs in the center at Edison's home in Ft. Myers, Florida. Can you imagine what their conversations would have been? Three great, inventive minds together. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

This is a photo of the first "automatic vote recorder" designed by Thomas Alva Edison. The machine was the first invention that Edison patented and was intended to speed up the counting of votes in Congress. However, his design was rejected because politicians often used a slow vote to delay or halt the progress of a new piece of legislation. He was issued the patent on June 1, 1869.

Taken by Harry W. Van Noy, at the Edison Estate. Thomas Alva Edison (1847 - 1931) was a well-known inventor and perhaps even a better businessman. He had 1,093 patents in the United States and many patents in Europe. But he not only had patents, he focused on mass production of his inventions and bringing them to the population at large (the light bulb, phonograph, and movie camera, for instance). His most famous quote is "Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration." And he certainly proved that!

A photo of Thomas Alva Edison

A photo of Thomas A Edison

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

A photo of Edison, Thomas A. by L.C. Handy 1877

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 11, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

Mr. Thomas A. Edison standing next to flag presented to him for the forty-third anniversary of the Ediphone invention by Ediphone Distributors

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 10, 2012.

Fire at Thos. A. Edison, Inc., East Orange, N.J., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1914, 9:00 P.M.]

This is a photo of Thomas Alva Edison added by Ancient Faces on January 9, 2012.