Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) - Find a Grave Memorial

Inventor, Educator. He is famous not only as an inventor, but also as an educator and writer of books to help people who cannot speak or hear. Born in Edinburgh Scotland, he emigrated to Canada along with his family. He was hired to teach in Boston at a school for children not being able to speak nor hear. His home remained America for the rest of his life and he became an American citizen. Through his teachings, he became interested in the sound of the human voice which led to his invention of the telephone. Along with an assistant, Thomas Augustus Watson, the telephone was born. Work continued on improving the invention. The first long distance, two-way telephone conversation took place in 1876 between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, a distance of two miles. Alexander Graham Bell lived to see millions of telephones in use all over the world. He had the experience of speaking from coast to coast by telephone. He died shortly before service across the ocean was opened. His invention brought him wealth and great honors. Living in retirement at Beinn Bhreagh, his summer estate at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, he suffered a heart attack which took his life. He was buried in a simple graveside service on the grounds of the retreat where he regularly spent a substantial portion of each year. In tribute to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, all service in the United States stopped for one minute in simple respect.