Francis Jehl
Encyclopedia
Francis Jehl was a laboratory assistant of Thomas Edison
. Jehl studied chemistry at Cooper Union at night. After finishing school at the age of 18, he went to work for Edison at Menlo Park
.
In 1882, Jehl went to Europe to introduce the Edison light system in the various European countries. Jehl wrote a book titled Reminiscences of Menlo Park based on a diary of his experiences at the laboratory.
In February 1879 Jehl began his employment with Edison at Menlo Park, a facility in New Jersey
where Edison researched and developed his inventions that had only been around for two years when Jehl arrived. He was responsible for maintaining 50 or so bunsen cell
s on a variety of tables on the second floor of the laboratory. After the completion of Jehl's first assignment, Edison noticed Jehl's work ethic and he was so impressed that he gave Jehl a job to work more closely with him. Jehl worked on the electric light during the laboratory stage of development. Jehl was responsible for performing many experiments and tests; however, some of the most important were those that were related to the electric meter for the central stations. Edison had given Jehl specific instructions to keep him informed daily with the tests and experiments that he conducted and the results obtained. With the results that Edison received from Jehl, he was able to make informed decisions on how to create things, like the thermal regulator for the meter.
In 1882, Jehl and many of his associates went to Europe in order to participate in the foreign electrical exhibitions. These exhibitions were crucial to the future prospect of international business for the Edison Company. During Jehl's stay in Europe in February 1882, he was supposed to oversee the introduction of the Edison meter. After Jehl helped Edison, he ended up spending forty years in Europe, helping to build power plants and electric lighting systems. Jehl later returned to the United States after World War I, when he supervised the reconstruction of the Menlo Park Laboratory. The reconstruction of the Menlo Park laboratory in Greenfield Village was initiated by Henry Ford
.
During the two years that Jehl spent at Menlo Park, he kept a personal diary. This diary detailed some of the exceptional things that he personally witnessed during his employment there. This diary was the foundation for Jehl's personal book, titled Reminiscences of Menlo Park, which was published fifty years afterwards.
at the age of 80. Jehl was one of the last surviving associates to Thomas Edison, whom assisted with the creation of the incandescent light. Jehl was survived by his wife, and son Fred Jehl, in Budapest
, Hungary
.
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
. Jehl studied chemistry at Cooper Union at night. After finishing school at the age of 18, he went to work for Edison at Menlo Park
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
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In 1882, Jehl went to Europe to introduce the Edison light system in the various European countries. Jehl wrote a book titled Reminiscences of Menlo Park based on a diary of his experiences at the laboratory.
History
Before Jehl worked for Edison he worked for Grosvenor Lowrey, who was the chief counsel of Western Union Telegraph Company. When Jehl worked for Lowrey he was responsible for making multiple copies of a wide range of documents pertaining to Edison's electric pen. One of the other duties that came with Jehl's employment with Lowrey was overseeing the care of Bunsen cells which happened to occupy the current of the electric pen. This was particularly important.In February 1879 Jehl began his employment with Edison at Menlo Park, a facility in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where Edison researched and developed his inventions that had only been around for two years when Jehl arrived. He was responsible for maintaining 50 or so bunsen cell
Bunsen cell
The Bunsen cell is a zinc-carbon primary cell composed of a zinc anode in dilute sulfuric acid separated by a porous pot from a carbon cathode in nitric or chromic acid.- Cell details :...
s on a variety of tables on the second floor of the laboratory. After the completion of Jehl's first assignment, Edison noticed Jehl's work ethic and he was so impressed that he gave Jehl a job to work more closely with him. Jehl worked on the electric light during the laboratory stage of development. Jehl was responsible for performing many experiments and tests; however, some of the most important were those that were related to the electric meter for the central stations. Edison had given Jehl specific instructions to keep him informed daily with the tests and experiments that he conducted and the results obtained. With the results that Edison received from Jehl, he was able to make informed decisions on how to create things, like the thermal regulator for the meter.
In 1882, Jehl and many of his associates went to Europe in order to participate in the foreign electrical exhibitions. These exhibitions were crucial to the future prospect of international business for the Edison Company. During Jehl's stay in Europe in February 1882, he was supposed to oversee the introduction of the Edison meter. After Jehl helped Edison, he ended up spending forty years in Europe, helping to build power plants and electric lighting systems. Jehl later returned to the United States after World War I, when he supervised the reconstruction of the Menlo Park Laboratory. The reconstruction of the Menlo Park laboratory in Greenfield Village was initiated by Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
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During the two years that Jehl spent at Menlo Park, he kept a personal diary. This diary detailed some of the exceptional things that he personally witnessed during his employment there. This diary was the foundation for Jehl's personal book, titled Reminiscences of Menlo Park, which was published fifty years afterwards.
Death
Jehl died on February 11, 1941 in St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
at the age of 80. Jehl was one of the last surviving associates to Thomas Edison, whom assisted with the creation of the incandescent light. Jehl was survived by his wife, and son Fred Jehl, in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
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