Collection is open for research.
Original source unidentified.
Divided into 8 series: (1) Correspondence; (2) Memoirs and Unpublished Manuscripts; (3) Legal Material; (4) Patents; (5) Biographical; (6) Lloyd W. Taylor; (7) Diagrams, Sketches; (8) Clippings.
Elisha Gray (1835-1901) was an inventor and the co-founder of the Western Electric Company. Gray is best known for his part in a bitter controversy with Alexander Graham Bell over the priority of invention of the telephone.
Elisha Gray Collection, 1871-1938, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection processed by Robert Harding, archivist in 1984.
Collection transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Electricity (now known as the Division of Work and Industry).
Legal documents, photographs, articles, copies of correspondence, three folders of original Gray correspondence on the Gray-Bell controversy; most of the collection consists of copies of material, or printed matter, collected by Lloyd W. Taylor of the museum staff.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Most of the biographical material was written by Lloyd Taylor, C.A. Brown and F.W. Cushing
CChapter 1 page 1, Bell vs. Gray for filing of a patent the first telephone didn't have speech through it
page 7, Court litigation was far too advanced for Gray become involved at such a late date
page 8, Bell won the case for inventing the telephone
Chapter 2 page 1, Bell and Gray's competition with various inventions
page 2-4, short biography of Gray (schooling, inventions, & business partnerships
page 8, letter from Gray accusing Bell of being very suspicious
page 9, Bell and Gray would have gotten along if left to themselves
Chapter 3 page 2, decision of S.C. was four to three in favor of Bell with 2 judges abstaining
page 3, Dowd case compromise decisions consent decree
page 6, Gray's feelings of the Compromise
Chapter 4, page 2, Gray received a British patent in June 1874 for transmitting interrupted corrupts and converting them into sound
page 5 & 6 Gray was handicapped because he had a caveat and not a patent
Chapter 5 page 3 Gray had constructed a telephone receiver earlier than Bell
Chapter 7, Discussion of Gray's telephone transmitter and the inadequacy of Bell's transmitter Taylor writings
Taylor Writings:
Chapter 1 page 2, Bell vs. Gray on filing for a patent The first telephone didn't have speech through it
page 7, The Bell interests took full advantage of Gray and his feeling of discontentment. The court litigation was to far advanced for Gray to appeal and become re-involved with the case
page 8, Bell won the case for inventing telephone
Chapter 2 page 1, Gray's title to the invention of the harmonic telegraph which is a device for simultaneously several messages over one wire, and both filed patent applications in 1875 prevailed over Bell's. Bell and Gray both competed over the telautograph which is a device for transmitting handwriting by wire. Gray was awarded the patents in 1888 and 1891. He exhibited it at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.
page 2, 3, Gray lived in Western Reserve. He carried on farm work after his father died, and then became an apprentice to a blacksmith. He then turned to carpentry at the age of 22 through a self help program he was given the opportunity to go to Oberlin College (1857 1862) by working his way through school.
He invented a self adjusting telegraph relay. With the help and facilities of General Stager, Gray perfected the relay, and then developed the typewriter telegraph, the telegraph repeater, and annunciator for hotels, a printing telegraph and a number of lesser inventions. In 1869 he formed a partnership with Enos M. Barton which later became the Western Electric Co. Gray didn't have much business sense which is why the company was reorganized.