Edison Pioneers Explained

The Edison Pioneers was an organization composed of former employees of Thomas Edison who had worked with the inventor in his early years. Membership was limited to people who had worked closely with Edison before 1885.^[1] On February 11, 1918, the Edison Pioneers met for the first time, on the 71st birthday of Edison. There were 37 people at the first meeting.Edison himself was not present; it was announced he was "engaged in important government service".^[2] It was suspected he was working on a military project since World War I was still in progress.^[2] The organization had 100 members although in later years descendants of Edison Pioneers were also allowed membership.

Members

Members of the Edison Pioneers:^[1]

• Edward Goodrich Acheson (1856–1931)^[1]
• William Symes Andrews (1847–1929)^[3]
• John I. Beggs (1847–1925)^[1]
• C. A. Benton
• Sigmund Bergmann
• Charles S. Bradley
• James Burke (1873–1940)^[4] *
• Charles Lorenzo Clarke (1853-1941)^{[5] [6]}
• George V. Delany (died 1933)^[7]
• Charles L Edgar
• Charles L. Eidlitz (1866–1951), business executive^[8]
• William E. Gilmore
• Edwin T. Greenfield
• William Joseph Hammer^[9]
• John White Howell
• Samuel Insull (1859–1938)^[1]
• Francis Jehl^{[10] [11]}
• Oscar Junggren ^[12]
• Alfred W Kiddle
• Isaac Krall ^[13]
• Lewis Howard Latimer^{[14] [15]}
• Thomas Commerford Martin (1856–1924)^[1]
• George F. Morrison (1867–1943), Vice President of General Electric Company^[16]
• H. W. Nelson ^[17]
• Frederic Nicholls
• John G Ott
• Henry V.A. Parsell (1868-1962) ^[18]
• Charles E. Pattison ^[19]
• Charles R. Price
• Louis Rau
• Frederick Sargent
• Frederick A. Scheffler^[20]
• Elmer Ambrose Sperry (1860–1930)^[21]
• Francis Robbins Upton, first president^[22]
• Theodore Vandeventer^[23]
• Montgomery Waddell^[24]
• Schuyler Skaats Wheeler
• Edwin R. Weeks
• Charles Wirt

External links

• Image

Notes and References

1. News: The Edison Pioneers . Transactions of the Illuminating Engineering Society . February 10, 1919 . 4 . 14 . 1 . January 13, 2011 .
2. News: Edison, 71, Honored by Old Associates; "Edison Pioneers," at Luncheon, Express Their Pride in Inventor's Patriotic Occupation . The "Edison Pioneers," an organization composed of the oldest associates of Thomas A. Edison... . . February 12, 1918 . January 13, 2011 .
3. News: W.S. Andrews Dies. An Edison Pioneer. Golden Jubilee Year of Inventor Marks His Fiftieth Anniversary Year Too. Victim of X-Ray Research. Oldest Employs of General ElectricCo. Built Thirty Generating Stations for Edison. Born in England. Takes Out X-ray patents . . July 2, 1929. January 14, 2011 .
4. News: James Burke Dies; an Edison Pioneer; President of Famous Inventor's Associates Himself Noted for His Discoveries. Stricken at 66 in Erie. Founded Own Electric Firm in the West. A Technical Director in Germany . . January 23, 1940. January 14, 2011 .
5. News: C. L. Clarke Dies; an Edison Pioneer; Oldest Surviving Associate of Inventor Started at $12 a Week and 'Glad to Get It'. Built First Edison Plant. Original Chief Engineer of Company. Illness Halted Him in Writing Own Obituary. October 10, 1941. The New York Times. January 14, 2011.
6. Web site: Charles Lorenzo Clarke Papers M032. library.bowdoin.edu. 2018-07-31.
7. News: George V. Delany. Edison Pioneer Was Auditor of a General Electric Plant. . . July 6, 1933 . January 14, 2011 .
8. News: C.L. Eidlitz Dead; Trade Arbitrator; Associate of Edison Settled Thousands of Disputes in Electrical and Other Fields . . January 28, 1951. January 14, 2011 .
9. News: MAJ. HAMMER DIES; AN EDISON PIONEER; Won Distinction as Engineer, Scientist and General Staff Officer in War. . . March 25, 1934.
10. News: FRANCIS JEHL DIES; AN EDISON PIONEER; As Inventor's Personal Aide Was Important Factor In Developing Electric Light BUILT EUROPEAN SYSTEMS Abroad 40 Years -- Wrote Two Books on Edison — Curator of Ford's Menlo Park Exhibit . . February 11, 1941.
11. Web site: Thomas Alva Edison in Menlo Park, NJ . Metuchen Edison History . January 13, 2011 .
12. News: OSCAR JGGREH, EHGIHEER, DIES, 70; Pioneer in the Designing and Development of Giant Power Producers. . . September 25, 1935.
13. News: ISAAC KRALL DIES AT 85.; Pioneer Associate of Thomas A. Edison Was a Civil War Veteran. . . October 1, 1928 .
14. News: Lewis H. Latimer Dead. Member of Edison Pioneers. Drew Original Plans for Bell Phone. . . December 13, 1928.
15. Web site: Lewis H. Latimer, 1848-1928 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080210061610/http://www.ieee.org/web/aboutus/history_center/biography/latimer.html . dead . February 10, 2008 . 2007-02-14 . .
16. News: The Sun . New York . February 3, 1918 . Three Striking Personalities Prominent at Present . February 17, 2011 .
17. News: H. W. Nelson Dead. An Edison Pioneer. He Helped Build Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford and Brought Players Here. . . January 26, 1934.
18. Lindez, David Sheihan (2013) The Right Rev Henry V.A. Parsell, The Rose Circle Journal, NY, NY
19. News: CHARLES E. PATTISON DIES.; Consulting Electrical Engineer, an Edison Pioneer, Was 64. . . November 3, 1928.
20. News: The Edison Pioneers . Engineering world: a journal of engineering and construction . January 1922 . 46 . 20 . January 13, 2011 .
21. News: Elmer Sperry Dies; Famous Inventor . . June 17, 1930 . January 13, 2011 .
22. News: Birthday Party to Edison; Men Associated with Him in the Early 80s Organize the Pioneers . Francis R. Upton of Newark,Mr. Edison's oldest associate, has been elected President of the Pioneers. . . February 3, 1918 . January 13, 2011 .
23. News: Theodore Vandeventer. Edison Pioneer Was With the General Electric From Start . . April 16, 1946.
24. News: December 22, 1951 . M. Waddell, Worked With Thomas Edison . . New York, NY . 15 . subscription . TimesMachine.