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Farmer (Moses G.) papers
LSC.0771
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Moses G. Farmer papers
Creator:
Farmer, Moses G. (Moses Gerrish)
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0771
Physical Description:
2.5 Linear Feet
(5 boxes and 1 oversize box)
Date (inclusive): 1830-1893
Abstract: Moses Gerrish Farmer (1820-1893) was born in Boxcawen, New Hampshire. While he was a school principal in Dover, New Hampshire,
he invented a machine to print paper window shades. He invented what became the first electric fire alarm system in the U.S.,
discovered means for duplex and quadruplex telegraph, invented an incandescent electric lamp and in 1866, he patented a self-exciting
dynamo. The collection contains correspondence to and from Moses G. Farmer, account books, diaries, clippings, photographs,
and other memorabilia. The collection also contains legal and business papers regarding Farmer's patents and inventions, especially
the electric railroad and fire alarm system.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Charles Scribner's Sons, purchase, 1962.
[Identification of item], Moses G. Farmer Papers (Collection 771). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID:
9912180543606533
Moses Gerrish Farmer was born February 9, 1820 in Boxcawen, New Hampshire; entered preparatory school at Andover in 1832;
attended Dartmouth, but withdrew because of ill health; he worked briefly in a civil engineer's office and was affiliated
with various private schools in New England; married Hannah Tobey Shapleigh in 1844; while he was a school principal in Dover,
New Hampshire, he invented a machine to print paper window shades; began work with the electric telegraph, eventually taking
charge of the telegraph line between Boston and Newburyport,Massachusetts in 1848 he invented what became the first electric
fire alarm system in the U.S.; discovered means for duplex and quadruplex telegraph; in 1858-59 invented an incandescent electric
lamp; in 1866 he patented a self-exciting dynamo; appointed as electrician of U.S. Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island;
consulting electrician, U.S. Electric Light Company of New York; died in 1893.
Moses Gerrish Farmer, inventor and pioneer electrician was born on February 9, 1820 in Boxcawen, New Hampshire to Colonel
John and Sally (Gerrish) Farmer. He died at the World's Fair in Chicago on May 25, 1893.
In 1832 Moses Farmer entered the preparatory school at Andover, Massachusetts. He also attended Dartmouth College, but had
to give up his studies due to ill health. After a brief period of employment in a civil engineer's office, Farmer was affiliated
with various private schools in New England including Eliot Academy, Eliot Maine. While in Eliot, Farmer married Hannah Tobey
Shapleigh on December 25, 1844. They had one daughter, Sarah Jane Farmer.
Moses Farmer's career as an inventor began while he was principal of a school in Dover, New Hampshire. At that time he devised
a machine to print paper window shades. In 1845 he became enthusiastic about electricity. His first project was to construct
a miniature electric train which was first exhibited on July 26, 1847. By December of that year he had accepted a position
as wire examiner of the new electric telegraph line between Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts. During this time he learned
telegraphy and July 1848 was appointed operator in the office at Salem, Massachussetts. Farmer later took charge of the telegraph
between Boston and Newburyport, Massachusetts and undertook opening telegraph offices along this line.
In the meantime, Moses Farmer continued his electrical experimentation at home. In 1848 he invented an electric-striking aparatus
for a fire-alarm service which he developed with Dr. William F. Channing. This system was installed in the City of Boston
in 1851. Farmer became the superintendent of the system. This was the first electric fire-alarm system in the United States.
Farmer resigned the superintendency in 1853 and worked on his various electrical ideas. In 1855, he discovered the means for
duplex and quadruplex telegraph. Succeeding in depositing aluminum electrolytically in 1856, he went into the electrotyping
business with several other men. The business failed in the panic of 1857.
After the business failure, Moses Farmer experimented with electricity as a source of light and in 1858-59 he invented an
incandescent electric lamp. Becoming the superintendent of a tobacco-extracting manufactory in Somerville, Massachusetts,
allowed Farmer to do further experiments. In 1866 he patented, a self-exciting dynamo. His attention was then concentrated
more and more upon electric power generation and distribution.
In 1872 Farmer was appointed to the office of electrician at the United States Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island. For
a period of nine years he greatly advanced torpedo warfare until his health made his resignation imperative. As far as his
health permitted, he then acted as consulting electrician for the United States Electric Light Company of New York. After
several years he retired with his family to their summer home at Eliot, Maine, where he established a public library.
Moses Gerrish Farmer led the way by thirty years in many applications of electric current. His electrical patents rivalled
Thomas A. Edison's. He received less fame and less profit because of his constant impulse to plunge into the unknown rather
than to develop and perfect a marketable invention. Farmer's patents were purchased by the United States Electric Light Company
and were later sold to Westinghouse.
Collection contains correspondence to and from Moses G. Farmer, account books, diaries, clippings, photographs, and other
memorabilia. Correspondents include inventors Joseph Henry and William Francis Channing. Also contains legal and business
papers regarding Farmer's patents and inventions, especially the electric railroad and fire alarm system. Includes correspondence
and papers of members of the Farmer, Shapleigh, and Little families.
The Moses Gerrish Farmer collection was purchased in July 1962. The collection contains correspondence to and from Moses Gerrish
Farmer and papers regarding his patents and inventions, especially the electric railroad and fire-alarm system. There is some
biographical material in the collection including an autobiography of Farmer. Various other writings by Farmer are also present.
The remainder of the collection is composed of correspondence and papers of members of the Farmer, Shapleigh and Little families,
including legal papers, diaries and photographs.
Arranged in the following series:
- Correspondence of Moses G. Farmer (Box 1).
- Correspondence of other family members (Box 2).
- Legal papers of Richard Shapleigh, Sally Gerrish Farmer's diaries, photographs (Box 2).
- Autobiography, biography, and biographical materials on Moses G. Farmer (Box 2).
- Various writings of Moses G. Farmer, insurance policies, and legal papers (Box 3).
- Notes re: inventions, electric railway, fire alarm system (Box 3).
- List of patents, patent applications and agreements, published patents (Box 4).
- Letters of Moses G. Farmer and miscellaneous material (Box 5).
- Journal of Hannah Farmer, 1844-53 (Box 6).
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Diaries.
Inventors -- United States -- Archives.
Farmer, Moses G. (Moses Gerrish), 1820-1893--Archives.