Edwin Binney
Encyclopedia
Edwin Binney is best known for his invention (along with his cousin C. Harold Smith) of the Crayola
crayon.
In 1885, Binney took control of his father's business, Peeksill Chemical Co. While experimenting with a mixture of slate
waste, cement
, and talc
, Binney created the first:) dustless white chalk. The invention was awarded a gold medal at the St. Louis World's Fair
in 1904. It was only one year later, in 1903, that Binney & Smith produced the first box of Crayola crayons.
Edwin Binney was also a community activist. He was responsible for Fort Pierce, Florida
, becoming a port city, and in 1929 kept the St. Lucie County Bank from succumbing to the poor economic conditions present at that time.
In 1903 they notice the need for a safe, quality wax crayon. They had already invented a new wax crayon used to mark crates and barrels, however, it was loaded with carbon black and too toxic for children. They were confident that the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors. He also created the idea of black tires. Before Edwin Binney and Harold Smith, there were only white tires.
Binney's wife Alice came up with the name for the crayons by combining two French words, "craie" meaning chalk in French and "ola" short for "oléagineux" meaning oily since the crayons were made of petroleum based wax.
Binney had four children with his wife, Alice Stead Binney - Dorothy, Helen, Mary, and Edwin Jr. In 1911, Dorothy married publisher George P. Putnam
, who later married aviator Amelia Earhart
.
He was born in Westchester County, New York
.
Crayola
Crayola is a brand of artists' supplies manufactured by Crayola LLC, which was founded in 1885 as Binney & Smith. It is best known for its crayons...
crayon.
In 1885, Binney took control of his father's business, Peeksill Chemical Co. While experimenting with a mixture of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
waste, cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, and talc
Talc
Talc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H2Mg34 or Mg3Si4O102. In loose form, it is the widely-used substance known as talcum powder. It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown...
, Binney created the first:) dustless white chalk. The invention was awarded a gold medal at the St. Louis World's Fair
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
in 1904. It was only one year later, in 1903, that Binney & Smith produced the first box of Crayola crayons.
Edwin Binney was also a community activist. He was responsible for Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
, becoming a port city, and in 1929 kept the St. Lucie County Bank from succumbing to the poor economic conditions present at that time.
In 1903 they notice the need for a safe, quality wax crayon. They had already invented a new wax crayon used to mark crates and barrels, however, it was loaded with carbon black and too toxic for children. They were confident that the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors. He also created the idea of black tires. Before Edwin Binney and Harold Smith, there were only white tires.
Binney's wife Alice came up with the name for the crayons by combining two French words, "craie" meaning chalk in French and "ola" short for "oléagineux" meaning oily since the crayons were made of petroleum based wax.
Binney had four children with his wife, Alice Stead Binney - Dorothy, Helen, Mary, and Edwin Jr. In 1911, Dorothy married publisher George P. Putnam
George P. Putnam
George Palmer Putnam was an American publisher, author and explorer. Known for his marriage to and being the widower of Amelia Earhart, he had also achieved fame as one of the most successful promoters in the United States during the 1930s.-Early life:Born in Rye, New York, he was the son of John...
, who later married aviator Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
.
He was born in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.