The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 34

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1940. THE PORT HURON TIMES HERALD EDISON EDITION YOUNC TOM FOUNDA TION OF EDISON'S AMAZING CAREER WAS LAIDH FACE TWO MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1940. THE. PUKT MURDN TIIYlfcS MERALD tUI I lUnl YOUNC TOM 1MV11VP TA. iOates! Almost every mh in DREAMS OF YOUTH BECOME REALITIES IN LATER YEARS than ZMbotSiTy from all parts otfeV I were arranged cirSf.V no on- -i 'ea l0tf.

'Addled' Boy Of Civil War Era Turns Out To Be By Far The Greatest Man Ever Produced City By ARTHCTt E. TIIOLEN that the Tones in power there be One decade ovennrown. ar ana wiae ms Ten fleeting years aiscipies carried ms aocinne oi that sometimes he Thf a how it was an analytical ch'CV concentrating on hich he had at ton. From tifiL early familiarity Wj of electrical barle, duction of currenuC The late Capt. Artffifel once recalled how ht JS son.

then about 15 vtfk reviving an injur '1 a galvanic battery piled after exhaustive research, deals largely with Thomas A. Edison's boyhood here. Many facts were taken by Mrs. Ballentine from the first authorized biography of Edison, arranged and edited in 1910 by Frank Lewis Dyer, general counsel for the Edison laboratory and allied interests, and Thomas Commerford Martin, once president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. This storj of the inventor's life and achievements had the following indorsement: "This book is published with my consent" and the signature of Thomas A.

Edison. The facts were supplemented by Mrs. Ballentine through interviews with Port Huron residents who knew Edison here. An excerpt from Mrs. Ballentine's work, which was published in the Michigan Historical Review, follows: Inclined To Chemistry "As early as the age of 10 years the boy showed that his inclinations were towards chemistry, and 60 years later 1919 (when the biography was written) there is seen no change of choice, but as his friends write 'It sounds like heresy to say that Edison became an electrician by chance One of the earliest stories about his boyhood in Port Huron relates to the incident when he induced a Dutch lad, employed in the family.

in the amazing career of perhaps the greatest inventive genius the world has ever produced. What greater fame might Port Huron ask than that Thomas Alva Edison lived here from 1854 to 1864? What greater honor might Port Huron claim than that here were spent the formative years in the life of the man who probably contributed more than any other mortal to the progress of man and civilization? No accurate appraisal can be set on the part this community played representative government and Samuel Edison, grandson of a Tory, espoused the cause. Meeting Place For Rebels Soon taxation without representation found no more bitter opponent in Canada than Sam Edison. He met other malcontents at the Vienna schoolhouse after dark to drill in the manual of arms. Mackenzie vistied him in his quaint little inn, which became a meeting place for rebels of that district.

Records hint that Nancy Edison was in sympathy with her husband's convictions. She then had Helped Appi, Acrnrrllnn 4 41.. I cousin fell and inlu2IL(V if the old Albion SZ'" Someone thought of in Tom Edison's astounding which young Edison had 3 Conkey was sent to farkJ and his battery. It was a cold night tnd was not keen about of goingout.HechanwK when Conkey revealed ftJ jured woman was hUcZV grasped a handle o( StJ and hurried to the hotel The doctor, probably iw I to swaliow a large quantity of seid- litz powders in the belief that the gases generated would enable him to fly The disastrous result of this experiment did not discourage Edison at all as he attributed failure to the lad rather than to 1 I I Call vor a CAD! four children and she wanted every advantage for them. An ill-timed attempt by a large group of rebels in Toronto to capture the seat of government failed miserably.

Mackenzie flt-d to an island in the Niagara river nd Sam Edison, who had started to join the insurgents in their fight, hurried home to bid goodbye to his wife and children. Samuel Edison fled through the cold forest lands, mile after mile with little food or sleep. He eluded pursuing Indian scouts and soldiers of the king. He pushed his way to the head waters of St. Clair river and crossed the ice to American territory.

He paused briefly -in -the little town of Port Huron, grateful that he had escaped capture. Joins Sympathizers He joined other rebels and a substantial number of American sympathizers in Detroit. Two assaults on the border failed and Samuel Edison set his long legs in motion along the rough roads of the lower shore of Lake Erie. He stopped in the thriving. Ohio village of Milan.

Samuel took stock of Milan and considered the opportunities it had to offer. He built a small mill and started to manufacture shingles. In a short time, he established contact with his family. In the spring of 1839, Nancy Edison and the children arrived in Milan. Men who were his contemporaries here said there was little to distinguish him from other lads of those days, unless it was his extraordinary resourcefulness or his insatiable curiosity.

Tom Edison was always doing some "crazy" thing in this town. The severe old school teacher who tried to punch some learning into the youngster's head for three unexciting months called him "addled." But other lads did "crazy" things and other lads, according to the respected pedagogue's standards, were "addled" too. Dreamed Dreams During the 10-year span between his coming and his going, something happened to Tom Edison, He dreamed dreams. He envisioned astounding things. When he left here, a youth of 17, he carried with nlm a priceless store of knowledge painstakingly won and carefully nurtured by his long-suffering parents.

He also carried an unlimited capacity for concentration and more knowledge. Port Huron is not presumptuous In its claim that it helped give a genius to the world. Port Huron was' an interesting village of some 4,000 population when Samuel and Nancy Edison moved themselves, their family and their belongings to it from Milan, in 1854. How they happened to select Port Huron as a place in which to live is an exciting story in itself. They still talk about it in Vienna, where Samuel Edison, a tremendous personality in his own right, kept a hotel.

In 1836, an insurgent leader, William Lyon Mackenzie, gathered to himself a considerable following in Upper Canada and boldly proposed During the excitement and "bustle" of tht Edison Premiere-mi Every Day! Getthw promptly, safely a style, too! Remember; A Taxi Your EXTRA CAR! SAFE SURE szic 'l i VN jdy 4-'v, i prompt-economica; PHONE 43! VELLOH CAD CO. 1. ggLa "Every Passenger InW YOUNG TOM EDISON IN PERSON This picture, one of the few of Thomas A. Edison in his boyhood, shows how he looked while a boy in Port Huron, at about the age of 14. The original photograph has been lost.

The only copy is a photograph from an earl' engraving, which is kept at Henry Ford's Greenfield village. Near Hi Him at Near The Desmond Military at Tine WiaiillBKIIBISEKI Samuel's business prospered and his family increased. On Feb. 11, 1847, another son was born and was named Thomas Alva. The first name was given in honor of an uncle and "Alva" in honor of Capt.

Alva Bradley, the lake captain who brought Nancy and the family from Vienna. In Milan. Tom Edison grew to be a mischievous and inquisitive youngster. Intensely interested in the things about him, he wanted to find out about these phenomena for himself. He set fire to his father's barn ''just to watch it burn" and for that offense was publicly whipped in the village square.

The amazing episode in which Tom attempted to hatch goose eggs by sitting on them occurred in Homer Page's barn. When there was nothing else to do, he busied himself with self-imposed tasks, such as copying signs over stores in the village. Moves From Milan Milan, which with its canal had dreamed of one day becoming a world port, saw its visions of greatness blasted when a railway with the beauty of the surround ing countryside and the blue waters of Lake Huron. His father, cog nizant of the scen'c vista, built a high tower near the home, hoping to pick up some extra money by charging for its use. Its platform afforded an excellent view but the aesthetic sensibilities of residents of the community were not strong enough to return much to its owner in the way of 1 gal.

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This migration was under happier auspices than the flight of Sam Edison from Vienna and the subsequent journey of his family to Milan. Sam was now in comfortable circumstances. The family rode by train as far as Detroit and the next morning boarded the river boat Ruby for Port Huron. Mrs. Caroline Farrand Ballentine, who was a passenger on the Ruby during the all-day voyage up the curving blue river, remembered Thomas Alva as a shy, friendly boy.

His biographers have nothing to say about young Tom Edison's reactions on coming to Port Huron but he undoubtedly was delighted with the prospects young as he dollars and cents. Comparatively few persons paid quarters for the privilege of climbing up the rough steps to the platform for peeks at the panorama and Samuel Edison was a mite discouraged. Then one day about 600 excursionists stopped off and nearly every one of them climbed to the laid a road bed between Toledo and Buffalo. Sam Edison decided to move on to greener pastures. He remembered Port Huron on the head waters of St Clair river and An Invitation Is Extended To General Public top of the tower.

Liked Observation Tower The novelty of the tower soon wore off and Samuel Edison reduced the charge to 15 cents. For young Tom it remained a constant source of delight. For hours he would sit on the lofty perch, his hair ruffled by the fresh breezes off the water, and peer through an old telescope at the panorama of steamboats, sail boats and other craft and at the distant horizon. Much has been written of Edison's boyhood here, but there is no more authoritative work on the subject than that of Mrs. Ballentine, from whose father, Bethuel C.

Farrand, a lumberman of this district, Samuel Edison purchased the home. Mrs. Ballentine's biography, com- was. His father selected an attractive colonial home, which stood 800 feet north of the location of the Edison memorial boulder in Pine Grove park. Home Near Fort The home, which had been occupied by the purveyor of Fort Gratiot, nestled in a grove of pine trees.

From its windows could be seen the Fort Gratiot parade ground and generous views of river and woodland. It was a large house, much larger than the one the Edisons occupied in Milan. There were large, high-ceilinged rooms downstairs and big, airy bedrooms on the second floor. A big basement was later to become one of Tom's favorite retreats. Young Tom Edison was delighted To call at our sales rooms, 1010 Military street and see Mr.

Henry Ford's display of Thomas A. Edison relics. A The exhibit will be here all this week through the courtesy and generosity of Mr. Ford. in token We feel highly honored in being privileged to show these relics.

We are sure that all Port Huron will enjoy seeing them. Corsage for the services rendered Parfet Motor Sales Co, 1010 MILITARY STREET Opposite The Desmond Theatre of course it will be from We wish to add our humble note of acknowledgement of all that Thomas A. Edison contributed toward a more progressive and better way. Pressed Metals of America Inc. PORT HURON Floral 108 HURON AVE.

PHONE 8165.