The Story Behind Morse Code (and Why It Matters to You)

In 1825, Samuel Morse was working in Washington DC when he received a letter that read, "Your dear wife is convalescent."  The next day, while packing, he received another letter... his wife Susan had already died.

He rushed home to New Haven to attend the funeral, and arrived to find his wife had already been buried. Heartbroken that he had missed–well, everything–Samuel vowed to find a way to deliver messages instantly, so no one would feel the pain of being separated from loved ones in their most important moments.

Eight years later, Samuel met scientist and inventor Charles Thomas Jackson. Both men were fascinated by the idea of transmitting information quickly over great distances, and Charles excitedly explained how electronic impulses could be carried through copper cables.

Caught in the excitement of the conversation, Samuel began sketching ideas for a mechanical device that could send the impulses over any distance.

He called the device a telegraph, and over time, he began developing a system of dots and dashes that could be transmitted through electrical impulses over wires. Then those impulses were translated back into letters by an operator on the other end of the line.

It took more than a decade, but Samuel was finally ready to test his telegraph. He organized a demonstration at the Speedwell Ironworks Factory and on January 11, 1838, and successfully used his code of dots and dashes to transmit the message, “A patient waiter is no loser.”

13 years after his beloved wife died, Samuel Morse’s innovation changed the way the world communicated. In the process, it gave people an opportunity to ensure that they and their loved ones were connected for the important moments in their lives.

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Innovation moves the world–and our businesses–forward. It happens when we choose to let our connection to the world around us drive us to improve that world. It doesn't require millions or billions of dollars either. It requires, simply, that we want to make a difference... and that we follow through on those desires!