Charles Sumner Tainter

Charles Sumner Tainter
Charles Sumner Tainter
	Charles Sumner Tainter; c.1886
Born	April 25, 1854; Watertown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	April 20, 1940 (aged 85); San Diego, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Known for	Photophone, phonograph; Father of the Speaking Machine
Spouse(s)	Lila R. Munro, 1886; Laura F. Onderdonk, 1928

Charles Sumner Tainter (April 25, 1854 – April 20, 1940) was an American scientific instrument maker, engineer and inventor, best known for his collaborations with Alexander Graham Bell, Chichester Bell, Alexander's father-in-law Gardiner Hubbard, and for his significant improvements to Thomas Edison's phonograph, resulting in the Graphophone, one version of which was the first Dictaphone.^[1]

Later in his career Tainter was associated with the International Graphopone Company of West Virginia,^[2] and also managed his own research and development laboratory, earning him the title: 'Father Of The Talking Machine' (i.e.: father of the phonograph).^[3]

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Charles Sumner Tainter
Charles Sumner Tainter c.1886
Born	(1854-04-25)April 25, 1854 Watertown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	April 20, 1940(1940-04-20) (aged 85) San Diego, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Known for	Photophone, phonograph Father of the Speaking Machine
Spouse(s)	Lila R. Munro, 1886 Laura F. Onderdonk, 1928