Ron the Yarn Spinner

 

Keyed-Up Emotions

 

Elisha Gray and Margaret Dearth met on-line.

Elisha Gray, born  in Barnesville, Ohio, had an unconventional upbringing that contributed to his future success as an inventor. Gray had a limited formal education but showed an early interest in mechanical and electrical inventions. As a child, he was known for his curiosity and aptitude for building things. He became an electrical engineer and co-founded the company Gray and Barton with another engineer Enos Barton. The company was located in Cleveland, Ohio and  specialized in developing  electro-mechanical equipment. Cleveland was a key center for technological innovation during this period, and Gray and Barton’s work in the city contributed significantly to advancements in electrical engineering.

Born and raised in Newburgh, New York, Margaret came from  a family steeped in arts and education. She  earned a degree in education, and she was known for her social graces and involvement with community. She worked for a time at Mississippi Valley Printing Company, which was in New York City. Gray and Barton had an extensive relationship with “Mississippi Valley” at this time and Elisha and Margaret engaged in regular business related communication that blossomed in a romance. Margaret L.K. Dearth and Elisha Gray’s first in-person meeting was in Chicago in 1856, and it was through their shared interests and Gray's professional prominence that their relationship developed. Margaret, a teacher with a strong educational background, was drawn to Gray's innovative spirit and work in electro-engineering. Gray was drawn to Margaret’s natural beauty, charm and intellectual curiosity and engagement in social and company responsibility  and related cultural issues. Her involvement in various social causes highlighted her thoughtful and proactive approach to making a difference. The two married in  1857.

Q. What? They met on-line and married in 1857. There was no Internet.

A:  Absolutely true, but here on-line refers to the telegraph. They used Morse Code.

                                                                       

Elisha and Margaret were skilled in  telegraphy and operators (telegraphers)  often engaged in social discussions with each other. Telegraphers were key figures in the communication network, and their companies  were often hubs of activity and conversation. These discussions could range from casual social chats to more serious conversations about work and technology. Given the nature of the job, telegraphers spent long hours at their stations, which provided ample opportunities  for social interaction. They often formed close-knit communities, sharing not just work-related information but also personal stories and news. This social aspect was a part of their daily life, making the work environment more connected and collaborative.

“Mississippi Valley” is known today as Western Union.

The couple’s mutual respect and shared interests in education and science helped to forge a strong connection.  Margaret’s support and partnership were instrumental to Gray throughout his career, including during the intense period of his work on the telephone and his famous legal battles with Alexander Graham Bell.

Gray is perhaps best known for his involvement in the patent dispute with Alexander Graham Bell. Both men were working on similar ideas for the telephone around the same time. Gray filed a patent caveat (a preliminary patent application) for his version of the telephone on February 14, 1876, just a few hours after Bell had filed his patent application. The dispute led to a lengthy legal fight, with Bell ultimately being awarded the telephone patent. Despite losing the patent battle, Gray’s innovations were nevertheless  influential in developing modern communication technologies and Gray alone later founded a company that joined with Alexander Bell’s “Bell Telephone” producing millions of telephones for the Bell system: Western Electric – the company that established the famous Bell Labs which became one of the most influential research institutions in the world. Bell Labs made groundbreaking advancements in various fields, including telecommunications, semiconductors, and computer science. Bell Labs' researchers won numerous Nobel Prizes and made pivotal discoveries, including the development of the transistor, laser, and information theory.

This story is a winsome example of how the telegraph, a groundbreaking technology of its time, facilitated not just professional but also personal connections, demonstrating the broader impact of communication technology on human relationships.

And Business Management majors may  recall the Hawthorne Experiments conducted between 1924 and 1932 at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago. These were a series of studies that significantly influenced management and organizational behavior theories. The findings led to a shift in focus from purely mechanical and economic considerations to the human aspects of work emphasizing the importance of understanding employee needs and  motivations. The experiments represent a fitting tribute to Elisha’s work in technology and Margaret’s  dedication to improving the lives of others. Her work complemented the achievements of her husband and reflected a commitment to making a positive impact on the workplace and society.

 

 

Meme:

 

I bet they sent this often. It’s an abbreviation called a prosign. ILU

You know what it means.

 

 

AR (.-.-.)     End of Message