Joseph Fredrick Engelberger was born in Brooklyn, New York back in 1925. During the Great Depression, the family moved to Connecticut where he grew up. He returned to New York City attending for his college education receiving a B.S. in physics for Columbia University in 1946 and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1949.In 1956, while at a cocktail party he met George Devol, and of course his life changed. Two years later they received a patent of Devol’s and the rest is history. Their design was first used at a General Motors Plant in Ewing Township, New Jersey in 1961. It wasn’t long before Chrysler and Ford Motor Company purchased the invention.If you haven’t figured it out by now Joseph developed the first industrial robot in the United States, the Unimate. Later he developed roboti... 11/19/2019

Earl Hancock Ellis was born in Luka, Kansas back in 1880 to Augustus and Catherine. He graduated first in the high school class in Pratt, Kansas. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1900. By 1901, he was promoted to corporal. Due to his high intelligence, he was selected to sit for an examination for an officer position. In December of that same year he passed the exam and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.The stories I could tell would well exceed my limits, but if you’re interested you can look him up, so I’ll just get to the highlights. He rose through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel. In 1920, he was assigned to work on a plan in the event of hostilities happened with Imperial Japan. When he finished his work in 1921, “Operations Plan 712: Advanced Base Operation in Mic... 11/10/2019

Constance Ellis was born in Carlton, Victoria, Australia back in 1872 to Louis and Lydia. She attended the Presbyterian Ladies’ College Melbourne graduating in 1890. She continued her education at the University of Melbourne from 1894-1899. She served her residency at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and another two years at the Royal Children’s Hospital. She worked at the University of Melbourne as a demonstrator in pathology. She was a founding member of the Victorian Medical Women’s Society and a delegate on the Victorian council of the British Medical Association. She suffered from Paget’s disease and died in 1942, she was 69.What you may not know about Constance is that she was the first woman to graduate from the University of Melbourne as a Doctor of Medicine and the first Australian... 11/09/2019

Eli Whitney Blake was born in Westborough, Massachusetts back in 1795 to Elihu and Elizabeth. He studied at the Leicester Academy before going to Yale where he graduated in 1816. He started to study law but abandoned that idea when his uncle, Eli Whitney asked for his assistance in erecting and organizing a gun factory at Whitneyville.After the death of his uncle Eli and his brother Philos until 1836, when they started their own factory. He was one of the founders of the Connecticut Academy of Science. He died in New Haven, Connecticut in 1886, he was 91.What you may not know about Eli Whitney Blake is that he was also an inventor. His invention is one that can be found on every home in the United States. He invented the mortise lock, although the design has changed over the years the b... 11/05/2019

Charles Edison was born in West Orange, New Jersey back in 1890. He graduated from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeview, Connecticut in 1909. From 1915-1916 he operated the 100-seal “Little Thimble Theater”. In 1917, he worked for his father’s company working his way through the ranks to become the president in 1927. He ran the company until he sold it in 1957.In 1937, he was appointed as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, then moving to Secretary in 1940. In that same year, he ran for Governor of New Jersey winning the election. He died in New York City just three days shy of the 79th birthday.What you may not know about Charles is that his father was Thomas Edison. The company he ran was of course the Thomas A. Edison, Inc. He broke the family tradition of being a Republican changing to ... 10/29/2019

John Samuel Eastwood was born in Minnesota back in 1857. He attended the University of Minnesota, working for the Pacific Northwest railroad.   In 1883, he moved to Fresno, California becoming Fresno’s first City Engineer in 1885. In 1895, he became the chief engineer of the San Joaquin Electric Company.In 1899, he worked for the Pacific Light and Power Company as the engineer in charge. He later worked for the Salt Lake City project, he died in 1924 while swimming in the Kings River east of Fresno.What you may not know about John is that while working for the San Joaquin Electric Company he designed and help construct the first California hydroelectric power plant. In 1908, he designed and built the first reinforced concrete multiple-arch dam on bedrock foundation at Hume Lake Dam for ... 10/25/2019

George Duffield Jr was born in New York back in 1818. He graduated from Yale in 1837, then attending Union Theological Seminary in New York. After graduation, he was a pastor from 1840 to 1869 preaching in various locations.His friend Reverend Dudley Atkins Tyng, was dying c, 1854. His last words were “Tell them to stand up for Jesus. Those words were forever embedded in his memory. George also wrote hymns. He wrote several hymns but the one I remember was “Stand up, stand up for Jesus”, it’s one of my favorites. He died in 1888.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today   10/16/2019

Richard Dudgeon was born in Tain, Scotland back in 1819.  At an early age his family moved to the United States settling in New York City.  His profession was a mechanic where he founded an engineering machine shop on Broome Street.  The business still exists and Richard Dudgeon, Inc.  He died in 1895, in New York City.  What you may not know about Richard is that he received a patent for something that is still in use to this day.  That patent was for the hydraulic jack. For you guy, you sure know what that is.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today 10/14/2019

Oliver Ditson was born in Boston, Massachusetts back in 1811 on Hanover Street not far from the home of Paul Revere. At twelve years old, he worked for Samuel Parker at a book store in Boston. He left the bookstore to pursue the printer’s trade of which he became a master. At the tender age of 23 he opened up his own book store, which he later turned into a music store.In 1840, he bought out Samuel Parker’s interest opening up the Oliver Ditson and Company music store. What you may not know about Oliver is that he company was the first American publisher to publish “Jingle Bells” and Darling Nelly Gray. During the American Civil War, he released a number of popular songs, including “Battle Hymn of the Republic and “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground”. He died in 1888 in Boston, he was 77.Yo... 10/02/2019

Charles Dinsmoor was born in Genesee County, New York back in 1834. He was educated in Warren County, Pennsylvania. At 16 he left home to study at Warren, Smethport and Coudersport, Pennsylvania. For 11 years he was in the printing business, he spent the last three of those as the editor of the “Warren Ledger”.He studied law for six months admitted to the bar on September 18, 1859. In 1860, he was appointed assistant United States Marshal and justice of the peace for Warren County in 1861 retiring in 1876. In 1878, he held the position of director for the local school board. He died in 1904.What you may not know about Charles is that he was also an inventor. He received patent No. 351,749 in 1886 for what he called the endless chain tractor.His invention has been improved upon but you m... 09/30/2019

Niels Diffrient was born in Star, Mississippi back in 1928. His family moved to Detroit where he attended Cass Technical High School moving on to Wayne State University and finally receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art. While there he received three First Medal in Design three of his four years.He went to Italy for a year on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1954. When he returned in 1955 he joined Dreyfuss associates where he stayed for 25 years. He died at his home in Ridgefield, Connecticut in 2013, he was 84.What you may not know about Niels is that he is best known for designing the Freedom and Liberty chairs, the Princess telephone and the Polaroid SX-70 camera. He was also one of the first persons to develop chairs using ergonomics (the scientific discipline ... 09/27/2019

Walter Diemer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania back in 1904. Sorry but that is all I can find out about him until 1926. He was an accountant for a company who made a particular product. They decided to cut their costs by making part of that product in their factory. Walter took it upon himself to work on the dilemma in his spare time. He accidently stumbled upon a unique recipe. He decided to make the product in a test market offering it at one penny per piece. It sold out in one day. He showed his boss the product, and as they say the rest is history.For you see while Walter was an accountant while working for the Fleer Company, in 1928 he invented bubble gum. Before then chewing gum was sticky, would not stretch and broke easily. The gum Walter invented was pink because it was t... 09/24/2019

John Dickinson was born in Woolwich, or London England (the exact location is unknown) back in 1782 to Thomas and Frances. When he as 15 he started a seven-year apprenticeship with Messrs (that is the correct spelling) Harrison in London. In 1804, he began to trade in stationery. In 1809, he received a patent for a new kind of paper. That same year he was able to purchase a former flour mill at Apsley.In 1850, he started his own business and passed it on to his nephew in 1858. He died in 1869. What you may not know about John is that the patent he received was for the paper used in those days for cannon cartridges. The paper would not smolder after the cannon was fired, thus preventing accidental explosions. He also invented the first continuous mechanized papermaking process, using woo... 09/20/2019

Earle Dickson was born in Grandview, Tennessee back in 1892. Talk about a short one, this is it. He was a cotton buyer for Johnson & Johnson. One day his wife cut herself, so he took some gauze on the cut and wrapped it with portions of her petticoat.To cut to the chase he put some gauze on a roll of tape, thus he invented what we know as the BAND-AID. He was instantly promoted to vice-president of the company, staying there until his retirement. He died in Kitchener, Canada at 68.Your day is worthwhile when you make someone smile, so give the free gift of a smile today 09/18/2019

Alice Brown was born in Park Hill, Indian Territory back in 1852. She grew up near Fort Gibson, Oklahoma (not far from where I live). Anyway, her father was Dr. John Brown and her mother was Lucy, a Seminole from the Tiger Clan. She learned to speak Mikasuki and the English language.At 15, a cholera epidemic broke out among the Seminole tribe where she assisted her father in caring for the sick. Shortly afterwards both of her parents died and she lived with her older brother at Wewoka, Oklahoma. She married George moving to Arbeka, Oklahoma where they opened a trading post, post office and general store. After the death of George, she worked with her brother as an interpreter, liaison and assistant for the Seminole Tribe. What you may not know about Alice Brown Davis is that she was the... 09/05/2019

Robert Davidson was born in Scotland back in 1804. He was educated at Marischal College where he worked as a lab assistant to help pay for his tuition. By 1820, he set up a business selling chemicals. He was also involved in the manufacture of them. Sometime in the 1830’s, he became interested in electrical technologies. In 1837, he started making small electric motors. In 1840, he attended an exhibition at Aberdeen, Scotland. Among the exhibits were an electrically driven lathe, a printing press and an electromagnet capable of lifting 2 tons. In 1843, he settled down to family life and for the next fifty years, he ran his business on Canal Road. He also invented a method for the production of large-scale yeast and the manufacture of perfumes.   He has been described as a forgotten hero... 09/04/2019

Sidney Newman Darby Jr., was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania back in 1928. He built his first boat when he was 12 but it sank. However, he finished it and made it a home for snakes (don’t like that). When he was 20 he made something that I’m sure everyone will know when I tell you what it is (teaser).So, later in 1965, he published his design in Popular Science. He did not patent his invention but was paid #36,000.00 for the design. In the 1980’s he designed a one-person sailboat where he did get a patent for, the Darby 8 SS sidestep hull. As far as I can tell it is still in production to this day. he died in 2016, he was 88.Now for the answer to the teaser, he was the one that invented the sailboard, now they are produced by Bic Sport, they build about 15,000 of them yearly. Your da... 08/29/2019

Anthony Daniels was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England back in 1946. Educated at Giggleswick School before studying law for two years before dropping out. He went on to attend Rose Bruford College, I could not find if he ever completed his education, but that really doesn’t matter so let’s move on.After leaving he worked for BBC Radio and for the National Theatre of Great Britain. While he was working there he was invited to meet someone that would forever change his life, more on that in a little while. He is currently an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center. That person he was invited to meet was someone I’m sure you’ve heard about George Lucas who was casting for a movie he was making. Apparently, Anthony did a good job because he has m... 08/28/2019

Charles Gordon was born in Boston, Massachusetts back in 1860. In 1881, he graduated from Columbia University with a degree in civil engineering. Two years later he received his law degree from the New York Law School. After graduation, he worked as a patent attorney before starting his own firm.Eight years later he partnered with Charles Crocker and Schuyler Wheeler to form another company to market electric appliances. He found his real calling in 1896 when he received his first patent followed closely by another one. He sold those to General Electric in 1901. He received another patent in 1899, which he received an award from ASME and the Holley Medal in 1950. He died in 1953 in Suffolk County, New York.What you may not know about Charles is the two patents were for steam turbines. T... 08/21/2019

Joan Elizabeth Strothers was born in Swansea, Wales back in 1916 to Charles and Margaret. She attended Swansea Girls’ High School and in 1934 she won a scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge. She had an honors degree in physics but never received it. Back in those days women were not awarded degrees from Cambridge.She was hired by the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge. She married Sam in1940, they were transferred to Swanage working on centimetric radar. In 1944, she and Sam were invited by the United States to help them in the Manhattan Project. After the war Sam became a Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University. She died in 1999 in Glasgow, Scotland.What you may not know about Joan Strothers Curran is that she was the inventor of chaff, a radar countermeasure technique... 08/20/2019