Charles A. Cheever

Charles A. Cheever (September 7, 1852 – May 2, 1900) was an American businessman and inventor. Associated with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, he improved their inventions. He patented 100 of these improvements, most related to the telephone. Cheever formed the Telephone Company of New York and constructed the first telephone line in New York City. He was disabled early in his life and was an invalid.

Charles A. Cheever
Charles A. Cheever
Born(1852-09-07)September 7, 1852
Boston, Massachusetts
DiedMay 2, 1900(1900-05-02) (aged 47)
New York City
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessman and inventor
Known forAssociated with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison and improved their inventions

Early life

Cheever was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 7, 1852.[1] His parents moved to New York when he was around five years old.[1] His father was J. H. Cheever.[2]

Mid life

Cheever was paralyzed from his waist down at an early age. As an adult he weighed only 70 pounds (32 kg) and had to be carried around by an assistant.[3] In spite of his handicap he became a successful businessman and entrepreneur.[4][5] He was a successful inventor of many items run by electricity and was able to turn them into business enterprises. He patented electric rock drills, electrical improvements to elevators, telephone appliances and electric fire engines. Of his 100 patents most were telephone improvements. Cheever was also intrigued with Edison's phonograph. He helped form the North American Phonograph Company and organized firms throughout the United States to promote Edison's advanced commercial version of it.[1]

Cheever became acquainted with Bell when his invention of the telephone was in its infancy and considered nothing but a novelty item. He was intrigued with it. Cheever went about figuring out how Bell's invention could be useful and beneficial. He constructed the first telephone line in New York City and was its owner.[1][6] That connection showed potential of greater uses for the telephone.[7] Cheever then experimented with a line from his office in the Tribune Building with one to the American Institute Fair to demonstrate commercial usage. He showed the quality of the sound traveling on telephone lines to be good by demonstrating the playing of the band at the Fair reproduced at his office.[1] He organized and formed the Telephone Company of New York.[8][9]

Cheever formulated a practical way of communicating telegraph messages from moving trains through induction telegraphy.[10] He conducted successful experiments on trains of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. The concept did not prove to be commercially profitable and was not pursued further.[11]

Okonite on Park Row

Cheever founded the Okonite company, a wire and cable manufacturer that used rubber insulation, since he already owned a rubber company and combined the technologies.[12][13] He was also associated with various real estate developments.[14]

Later life and death

Cheever died on May 2, 1900, in New York City after suffering heart complications.[5][15]

References
  1. Western Electrician 1900, p. 298.
  2. Congressional Record 1967, p. 722.
  3. Spillane, Richard (March 16, 1913). "Romances of the Business World". Times-Democrat. New Orleans – via newspapers.com .
  4. "An Invalid's Life Work". New-York Tribune – page 2. New York City. May 3, 1900 – via newspapers.com .
  5. "A Remarkable Plan". The St Johnsbury Caledonian -page 3. St Johnsbury, Vermont. May 16, 1900 – via newspapers.com .
  6. McGraw-Hill 1900, p. 722.
  7. Malcolm 1918, p. 4.
  8. Chicago Telephone 1913, p. 1.
  9. Leonard 1910, p. 463.
  10. Electric Club 1886, p. 61.
  11. "Telegraphing From An Express Train Going at the Rate of Sixty Miles An Hour". St. Joseph Weekly Gazette. St. Joseph, Missouri. November 24, 1887. p. 9 – via newspapers.com .
  12. Johnson 1901, p. 405.
  13. Electrical World 1884, p. 115.
  14. "Cedarhurst". Brooklyn Daily Eagle -page 14. Brooklyn, New York. August 12, 1888 – via newspapers.com .
  15. "Obituary – Long Island". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. May 3, 1900 – via newspapers.com .

Sources
  • Chicago Telephone (1913). Bell Telephone News. Chicago Telephone Co. First Telephones in New York – The first men to venture their time and money in the telephone business in New York City were Charles A. Cheever and Hilborne L. Roosevelt, says the Telephone Review.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Congressional Record (1967). Congressional Record. U.S. Government Printing Office.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Electric Club, New York (1886). Papers Read Before the Club.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Electrical World (1884). The Electrical World. Electrical World.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Leonard, John William (1910). City of New York, 1609–1909:. Journal of commerce and commercial bulletin. After these exhibitions two New York business men, Charles A. Cheever and Hilborne L. Roosevelt, ventured, on August 29, 1877, to organize "The Telephone Company of New York." Cheever was a dealer in rubber goods and Roosevelt owned an organ factory on West Eighteenth Street.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • McGraw-Hill (1900). Electrical World. McGraw-Hill. Mr. Cheever was one of the first to undertake the introduction of the telephone in New York. He organized the various sub-telephone companies in New York State, and erected and owned the first telephone line in New York City.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Johnson, Alfred Sidney (1901). Cyclopedic Review. Garretson, Cox & Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Malcolm, James (1918). State Service. State Service Magazine Company, Incorporated. There Cheever interviewed the inventor of the telephone and made arrangements which resulted in his becoming one of the two partners in the first telephone company in New York State.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Western Electrician (1900). Western Electrician. Electrician Publishing Company. He organized the various sub-telephone companies in New York state and erected and owned the first telephone line in New York city.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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