Samuel Morse

Today is the birthday of Samuel Morse, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1791. While studying at Yale, Morse became interested in electricity, but for the time being that took a backseat to his love of painting. He studied art in England and painted portraits of prominent figures such as the Marquis de Lafayette. In 1832, on a transatlantic ship voyage, Morse’s interest in electricity was rekindled when he heard about the development of electromagnets. Soon after Morse came up with the design for an electric telegraph. He wasn’t the first to come up with the device, but unlike previous iterations his prototype required only a single wire to transmit messages. In 1838 Morse and Alfred Vail devised the language of dots and dashes we now know as Morse code. Aided by the development of relays and financial support from Congress, Morse established the first US telegraph line in 1844, between Baltimore and Washington DC. His first message across the line: “What hath God wrought!”

Date in History: 27 April 1791