Elisha Gray

Biography

Elisha Gray's inventive mind propelled early experiments in telegraphy and the nascent telephone; he patented a design for transmitting speech and founded companies to further his discoveries. His work helped lay the groundwork for the practical transmission of voice across great distances.

A generous mentor to younger inventors, he encouraged curiosity, and though he watched others reap fame, his name endures alongside Rosehill Cemetery as a reminder of the audacity of American ingenuity.