When Edison opened his laboratory 1887, Alfred Tate
succeeded Samuel Insull personal secretary Edison. Harvey Firestone paid his respects, but Edison’s
great friend Henry Ford was not able enter the library. Kellow, who eventually became office
manager charge several Edison’s "personal undertakings, such Chemical
Plants.W.
180 Stephen Mambert Mullin Wayne, March 28, 1923, Biographical Collection. tempting speculate that Charles’ entry into his father’s business
precipitated the addition the two private offices within the library few years
later, but there firm evidence support this theory. executives, and long time laboratory
workers were admitted the library directly. 1917, Charles’ new assistant was George Clark;
Clark himself also had secretary, R.
181 Roderic Peters interview, nd, Oral History Project, pp. John Ott, Edison’s associate from
before the Menlo Park days, had been ill for long while himself and died shortly
after heard Edison’s death.
Edison’s youngest son, Theodore, came work the laboratory later, and also
had desk the library (see for more Theodore Edison).179 Thomas Edison was chairman the
board. explained to
Charles: "You remember the last time saw him the library, how talked
together? Well, want keep that lasting memory. 1926 and
chairman the executive board 1927. that time, Isaac (Ike) Walker was Charles’
assistant, and Peters sat across from him double desk alcove. Charles, Edison and Minas’ oldest son, went work for his
father 1913 after studying engineering the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Charles became president Thomas Edison, Inc.Family, friends, Thomas Edison, Inc. Charles eventually
worked one these offices, however, certainly occupying one the 1920s.
179 Matthew Josephson, Edison; Biography, (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1959), 445;
see also Venable, Out the Shadow: The Story Charles Edison, 74."180
It not known exactly where Mambert and Clark worked, but logical to
assume that Charles was library office this time, they would located
either that office, nearby the library. Long before Edison
moved West Orange, Insull had established the position private secretary to
59
. Roderic Peters, who marketed the
Edison phonograph the mid-1920s, remembered that Charles’ office and his
clerks’ desks were the library. Peters
also recalled that comptroller had the other private office the library."178
178 The New York Times, October 21, 1931, col. 22-24. 3.
Charles Edison.181
Alfred Tate.
Beginning 1914, Stephen Mambert acted Charles’ assistant (see for
more Stephen Mambert)
