Edwin James Houston (July 9, 1847 â March 1, 1914) was an American author, electrical engineer, academic, businessman, and inventor.
Early life
Houston was born July 9, 1847, to John Mason and Mary (Lamour) Houston in Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated from Central High School of Philadelphia (a degree-granting institution rather than an ordinary high school) in 1864. He received both his Bachelor of Arts and master's degree from the same Central High School.
Career
Houston then became a professor of civil engineering at Central High School for a short period before holding its chair of Natural Philosophy and Physical Geography.
While teaching physics at Central High School in Philadelphia, he helped design an arc light generator with his former student colleague Elihu Thomson. Together, they created the Thomson-Houston Electric Company in 1882 which soon after moved to Lynn, Massachusetts. He served as chief electrician of Philadelphia's International Electrical Exhibition in 1884.
In 1892, Thomson-Houston merged with the Edison General Electric Company to form General Electric, with management from Thomson-Houston largely running the new company. In 1894, Houston formed a consulting firm in electrical engineering with Arthur Kennelly. He and Kennelly had also jointly published a series called "Primers of Electricity" in 1884.
He also served as emeritus professor of physics at the Franklin Institute and professor of physics at the Medico-Chirurgical College.
Houston was twice president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (1893âÂÂ1895). He was a member of the United States Electrical Commission, the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Philosophical Society and many others. He also authored books for a series called The Wonder Books of Science.
Awards and honors
Princeton University awarded him an honorary doctoral degree.
Personal life
He died from heart failure in Philadelphia on March 1, 1914.
Selected publications
Books
- . Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1878, 1901, and 1904.
- Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1881.
- Elements of Chemistry: for the use of Schools, Academies, and Colleges Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1883 and 1898.
- A Short Course in Chemistry. Philadelphia: Eldridge & Brother, 1884.
- Primers of Forestry. Philadelphia: Edwin J. Houston, 1891.
- Rain Produced At Will. Chicago: Edwin J. Houston, 1891.
- Electrical Measurements and Other Advanced Primers of Electricity. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, Limited, 1893.
- New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, Limited, 1893.
- Outlines of Forestry; Or, The Elementary Principles Underlying the Science of Forestry. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1893.
- . New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, Ltd., 1894.
- A Dictionary of Electrical Words, Terms and Phrases. New York: P. F. Collier, 1894.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1895.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The Electrical Engineer, 1895.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The Electrical Engineer, 1895.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1895.
- Elements of Physical Geography: For the Use of Schools, Academies, and Colleges. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother, 1895.
- Electric Arc Lighting with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- Electricity in Electro-Therapeutics with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: McGraw Publishing Co., 1896, 1897, 1898, 1903, and 1906.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- Algebra Made Easy: Being a Clear Explanation of the Mathematical Formulae Found in Prof. Thompson's Dynamo-electric Machinery and Polyphase Electric Currents with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: American Technical Book Company, 1897.
- Magnetism. with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: McGraw Publishing Company, 1897 and 1906.
- The Elements of Natural Philosophy. Philadelphia, Eldridge & Brother, 1897.
- ' with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: McGraw Publishing Company, 1897, 1902, and 1906.
- Electricity Made Easy: by Simple Language and Copious Illustration with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: American Technical Book Company, 1898.
- Interpretation of Mathematical Formulæ with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: McGraw Publishing Co., 1898.
- Recent Types of Dynamo-electric Machinery: A Complete Guide for the Electrician, Engineer, Student and Professor. with Arthur Edwin Kennelly. New York: P. F. Collier & Son, 1902.
- Incandescent Lighting with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: The W. J. Johnston Company, 1896.
- Electric Telegraphy with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: McGraw Publishing Co., 1897 and 1906.
- Pocket Electrical Dictionary. London: Swan Sonnenschein and Co., 1898.
- Electricity and Magnetism: Being a Series of Advanced Primers New York: McGraw Publishing Co., 1899.
- with Arthur E. Kennelley. New York: Electrical World & Engineer, 1902.
- Electricity in Everyday Life in 3 volumes. vol. 3. New York: P. F. Collier & Son, 1905.
- The Search for the North Pole. (North Pole Series) Chicago: The J. C. Winston Co., 1907.
- The Discovery of the North Pole. (North Pole Series) Chicago: The J. C. Winston Co., 1907.
- Cast Away at the North Pole. (North Pole Series) Chicago: The J. C. Winston Co., 1907.
- Wrecked on a Coral Island. Philadelphia:The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1908.
- Five Months on a Derelict; or, Adventures on a Floating Wreck in the Pacific. Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1908.
- In Captivity in the Pacific. Philadelphia:The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1909.
- At School in the Cannibal Islands. Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1909.
- with Alfred Newlin Seal. New York: Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, 1912.
- The Elements of Physical Geography. New York: Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, 1916.
Children's books
- Houston's Outlines of Natural Philosophy. Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger, 1878.
- Houston's Easy Lessons in Natural Philosophy. Philadelphia: Eldredge and Brother, 1879.
- . Philadelphia: Henry Altemus Company, 1907.
- '. Philadelphia; London, J. B. Lippincott, 1907.
- The Wonder Book of Volcanoes and Earthquakes. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1907.
- . New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1907.
- The Wonder Book of the Light. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1908.
- The Wonder Book of the Magnetism. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1908.
- A Chip of the Old Block; or, At the Bottom of the Ladder (The Young Mineralogist Series). Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1910.
- The Land of Drought; or, Across the Great American Desert. (The Young Mineralogist Series) Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press,1910.
- The Jaws of Death; or, In and Around the Cañons of the Colorado. (The Young Mineralogist Series) Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1911.
- The Yellow Magnet; or, Attracted by Gold. (The Young Mineralogist Series) Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1911
- Once a Volcano; or, Adventures Among the Extinct Volcanoes of the United States. (The Young Mineralogist Series) Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1912
- The Land of Ice and Snow or, Adventures in Alaska. (The Young Mineralogist Series) Philadelphia: The Griffith & Rowland Press, 1912.
- Our Boy Scouts in Camp. Philadelphia: D. McKay, 1912.
Journal articles
See also
References
External links