Edward Hibbard Johnson (born 1846 ? ) was an inventor and business associate of American inventor Thomas Alva Edison. He was involved in many of Edison's projects, and was a partner in an early organization which evolved into the General Electric Company, one of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the United States. When Johnson was Vice President of the Edison Electric Light Company, a predecessor of Con Edison, he created the first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree at his home in New York City in 1882. Edward H. Johnson became the Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights. An inventor is a person who creates new inventions, typically technical devices such as mechanical, electrical or software devices or methods. ... An inventor is a person who creates new inventions, typically technical devices such as mechanical, electrical or software devices or methods. ... Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 - October 18, 1931) was an inventor and businessman who developed many important devices. ... The General Electric Company, or GE, (NYSE: GE) is a multinational technology and services company. ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ... Consolidated Edison Company of New York (NYSE: ED) (Con Edison, or Con Ed) is a utility company in New York state, USA. Con Edison is a regulated utility that provides electric service in New York City and most of Westchester County, New York. ... A Christmas tree in a German home One of the most popular traditions associated with the celebration of Christmas, the Christmas tree is normally an evergreen conifer tree that is brought in the house or used in the open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during the... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The following alphabetical lists includes men and women commonly known as the father or mother of something. ...

Biographical Information

Protégé of William Jackson Palmer

In 1867, a very optimistic, eager 30-year-old retired Union Army general named William Jackson Palmer, and his 21-year-old chief assistant Edward Hibbard Johnson, headed west from their hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. General Palmer was the construction manager for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, mapping routes through New Mexico and Arizona to the Pacific coast. 1867 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Union was a name used by many to refer to the Northern states during the American Civil War. ... William Jackson Palmer (1836-1909) civil engineer, soldier, builder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and founder of Colorado Springs, Colorado William Jackson Palmer (September 17, 1836 - March 13, 1909) was a civil engineer, soldier, and industrialist. ... Independence Hall Philadelphia (sometimes referred to as Philly or the City of Brotherly Love) is the sixth-most-populous city in the United States and the most populous city in the state of Pennsylvania, occupying all of Philadelphia County. ...

The Kansas Pacific Railroad was an enterprise of the Philadelphia interests which controlled the Pennsylvania Railroad (whose president John Edgar Thomson had employed Palmer as his personal secretary before the War). Under General Palmer's direction the Kansas Pacific was extended from Kansas City, Missouri, reaching Denver, Colorado in August, 1870. The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark: PRR) was an American railroad existing 1846–1968, after which it merged into Penn Central Transportation. ... Kansas City is a city in Clay, Cass, Jackson, and Platte counties in Missouri. ... Denver is the largest city and capital of the state of Colorado, United States of America. ...

Hiring young Thomas A. Edison

In 1871 Edward H. Johnson, as the assistant to General William J. Palmer, was sent back East to manage the Automatic Telegraph Company. When Johnson hired young 24-year old Thomas A. Edison, the contracted employee quickly outshone the particular company, and his enormous talents were brought to the attention of the principals of the company by Johnson. Of Edison, Johnson later wrote: 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 - October 18, 1931) was an inventor and businessman who developed many important devices. ...

"He ate at this desk and slept in a chair. In six weeks he had gone through the books, written a volume of abstracts, and made two thousand experiments…and produced a solution."

The Philadelphians then backed Edison's evolution into a full time inventor, established in his "invention factory" in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Johnson became Edison's trusted executive as his inventions and business developed in the 1870s and later. Edison Township is a township located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. ...

Recruiting Frank J. Sprague

Johnson apparently had a good eye for young talent. In 1883, he is also credited with recruiting into Edison's organization a naval officer Frank J. Sprague, who he met at an International electrical exposition. Sprague became a brilliant electrical genius and inventor, and was responsible for major developments in electric railways and electric elevators which were instrumental in the growth of U.S. cities in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. Events January January 16 - The United States Civil service, is passed January 19 - The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires begins service (Roselle, New Jersey) It was built by Thomas Edison. ... Navy is also:- shorthand for Navy Blue the nickname of the United States Naval Academy A navy is the branch of the armed forces of a nation that operates primarily on water. ... Frank Julian Sprague (1857-1934) American inventor, Father of Electric Traction Frank Julian Sprague (1857–1934) was an American naval officer and inventor who contributed to the development of the electric motor, electric railways, and electric elevators. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... This article is about the transportation device. ...

Partner in the Edison Companies

Edward H. Johnson was a partner in the Edison Electric Lamp Company, a partnership formed in early 1881. Other partners were Thomas Edison, Charles Batchelor, and Francis R. Upton. In May 1881 the company changed its name to the Edison Lamp Company. A year later it moved its factory from Menlo Park to East Newark (Harrison), New Jersey. The partnership became a corporation in 1884. The company merged with several other Edison companies in 1889 to become the Edison General Electric Company. The same year, it acquired the Sprague Electric Railway and Motor Company. On April 15, 1892, it merged with the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, another electrical manufacturer, in the consolidation forming the General Electric Company, which is today one of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the United States. Edison Township is a township located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. ... Harrison is a town located in Hudson County, New Jersey. ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1892 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The General Electric Company, or GE, (NYSE: GE) is a multinational technology and services company. ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ...

Heading the forerunner of Con Edison

Edward H. Johnson was also became president of Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York. This company was organized on December 17, 1880, to construct generating stations in New York City. Its first central station, located on Pearl Street in lower Manhattan, opened on September 4, 1882. The company was the prototype for other local illuminating companies that were established in the United States during the 1880s, and was a predecessor of Con Edison, the electric utility company which powers New York City today. December 17 is the 351st day of the year (352nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Consolidated Edison Company of New York (NYSE: ED) (Con Edison, or Con Ed) is a utility company in New York state, USA. Con Edison is a regulated utility that provides electric service in New York City and most of Westchester County, New York. ... This article is about utility in economics and in game theory. ...

First electric Christmas tree lights

First Christmas tree with electric lights, in the home of Edward H. Johnson in New York City, December 22, 1882.

The the first known electrically-illuminated Christmas tree was the creation of Edward H. Johnson. While he was Vice President of the Edison Electric Light Company, he had Christmas tree bulbs especially made for him. He proudly displayed his Christmas tree which was hand-wired with 80 red, white and blue electric light bulbs the size of walnuts on December 22, 1882 at his home on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The story was reported by a Detroit reporter, Edward H. Johnson became known as the Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights. Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... A Christmas tree in a German home One of the most popular traditions associated with the celebration of Christmas, the Christmas tree is normally an evergreen conifer tree that is brought in the house or used in the open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during the... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... The following alphabetical lists includes men and women commonly known as the father or mother of something. ...

From that point on, electrically illuminated Christmas trees, indoors and outdoors, grew with mounting enthusiasm in the United States and elsewhere. In 1895, U.S. President Grover Cleveland proudly sponsored the first electrically lit Christmas tree in the White House. It was a huge specimen, featuring more than a hundred multicolored lights. The first commercially produced Christmas tree lamps were manufactured in strings of nine sockets by the Edison General Electric Co. of Harrison, N.J. and advertised in the Dec 1901 issue of the Ladies' Home Journal. Each socket took a miniature 2 candlepower carbon-filament lamp. 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Stephen Grover Cleveland ( March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd ( 1885– 1889) and 24th ( 1893– 1897) President of the United States, and the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. ... This page is about the official residence of the President of the USA. For other White Houses see White House (disambiguation). ...

External links

• A Brief History of Electric Christmas Lighting in America (http://www.oldchristmaslights.com/history.htm)
• The story of Christmas Tree Lights (http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2002/12/f2.htm)
• [1] (http://www.todayinsci.com/cgi-bin/indexpage.pl?http://todayinsci.tripod.com/12/12_22.htm)
• [2] (http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/O_Tannenbaum/12-The_Evolution_of_the_Modern_Christmas_Tree.htm)
• [3]  (http://www.necanet.org/whats_new/report.cfm?ID=2668)