>> Samuel Morse was inspired to explore a means of rapid long distance communication after suffering a personal tragedy in 1825. While at Washington DC, Morse had received a letter from his father about his ailing wife's sudden death. By the time he reached his hometown New Haven she was already buried. He therefore resolved to devote himself to find a means of immediate communication after this incident.

>> Morse developed the concept of a single-wire telegraph after witnessing various experiments with Charles Thomas Jackson's electromagnet after meeting the fellow American in 1832 while in Europe.

Samuel Morse