| 1847: | | Born, 11 February, Milan, Ohio |
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| 1859-63: | | Sells newspapers and sundries on train between Port Huron, Michigan, and Detroit |
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| 1864-67: | | Years as a traveling telegrapher |
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| 1868: | | Patents first invention, Boston |
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| 1869: | | Works on stock ticker and printing telegraph, New York |
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| 1870: | | First substantial income from an invention (stock ticker) |
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| 1871: | | Marries Mary Stilwell |
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| 1874: | | Quadruplex telegraph (sending four messages over a wire at the same time) |
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| 1876: | | Carbon-resistance telephone transmitter |
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| 1877: | | Phonograph |
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| 1879: | | Incandescent lamp |
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| 1882: | | Pearl Street Station, New York |
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| 1883: | | Discovers and experiments with electrical discharge inside lamp (called "Edison Effect;" basis of the vacuum tube) |
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| 1884: | | Wife Mary
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