Almon Brown Strowger

Almon Brown Strowger
Born	(1839-02-11)February 11, 1839 Penfield, New York, U.S.
Died	May 26, 1902(1902-05-26) (aged 63) St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Inventor
Spouse	Susan Strowger

Almon Brown Strowger (/ˈstroʊdʒər/; February 11, 1839 – May 26, 1902) was an American inventor for whom the Strowger switch, an electromechanical telephone exchange technology, is named.

Early years

Strowger was born in Penfield, New York, near Rochester, the grandson of the second settler and first miller in Penfield. Little is known about his early life. It is said that if his mother gave her children a task, Strowger and his brothers would often try to devise a machine to do the task for them. He taught school in Penfield for a time.

Civil War Service

Strowger enlisted in the Union Army in 1862, joining the 12th Missouri Infantry Regiment. While his participation in battles like Second Bull Run and Vicksburg is well-documented, his wartime experiences likely exposed him to logistical challenges—such as coordinating troops or supplies—which may have influenced his later focus on efficient systems.

After the war, Strowger returned to civilian life but struggled to find stable work. His transition to becoming an undertaker in Kansas City reflects the economic instability of the post-war era, where many veterans sought unconventional careers.

Post-War Career and Motivation for Invention

After the war, Strowger moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he became an undertaker. His frustration with manual telephone operators—who he believed were diverting calls to rival funeral homes—sparked his invention of the automatic telephone exchange. This system used rotary dials and electromechanical switches to connect calls without human intervention, eliminating reliance on operators. Strowger’s frustration with manual telephone operators stemmed from a personal grievance. In Kansas City, he suspected that operators were deliberately routing calls to rival funeral homes, costing him business. This anecdote highlights the cutthroat competition in late 19th-century industries and the role of human error in early telephone systems.

Technical Challenges and Solutions

Strowger’s invention addressed two key issues:

1. Operator Bias: Manual systems relied on human judgment, which could be influenced by bribes or favoritism.
2. Scalability: Early telephone networks were limited by the need for operators to handle each call.

His rotary dial system used electromechanical relays to bypass operators entirely. Each digit dialed triggered a series of mechanical switches, ensuring calls were routed automatically. This design was modular, allowing systems to expand as cities grew.

Patent Wars and Business Rivalries

Strowger’s patent (U.S. 447,918) sparked a legal battle with Bell Telephone Company, which dominated the industry through Alexander Graham Bell’s patents. Strowger’s invention threatened Bell’s control by enabling independent telephone companies to bypass Bell’s infrastructure.

Key Players in the Patent Wars

• Automatic Electric Company: Strowger sold his patents to this firm, which became a major competitor to Bell.
• General Telephone and Electronics (GTE): Later acquired Automatic Electric, ensuring Strowger’s technology remained central to telecommunications.
• Bell’s Response: Bell initially dismissed Strowger’s invention but later adopted similar automatic systems under pressure from competitors.

La Porte, Indiana

In 1892, Strowger’s system debuted in La Porte, Indiana, a small city chosen for its manageable size. The trial proved successful, with 59 subscribers using the automated exchange. This milestone marked the first time a city abandoned manual operators entirely, paving the way for nationwide adoption. La Port was chosen for two major reasons:

• Cost Efficiency: The city’s small population made it an ideal testbed for Strowger’s scalable design.
• Political Will: La Porte’s leaders sought to reduce reliance on Bell’s monopolistic practices.

Personal Life: Beyond the Invention

Strowger’s reputation as irascible and litigious often overshadowed his personal life. He was known for clashing with business partners, including Joseph Harris, a colleague who later sued him over patent rights. Despite these conflicts, Strowger’s wealth from his invention allowed him to retire comfortably in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he invested in real estate.

Legacy: Beyond the Switch

Strowger’s invention reshaped telecommunications in ways that extend beyond his patent:

1. Democratization of Access: By reducing costs, automatic exchanges made phones affordable for more people.
2. Inspiring Innovation: His electromechanical design influenced later digital switching systems, such as the No. 5 Crossbar Switch (1940s).
3. Challenging Monopolies: Strowger’s technology weakened Bell’s grip on the industry, fostering competition.

Historical Context: The Gilded Age and Innovation

Strowger’s story aligns with the Gilded Age (1870–1900), an era of rapid industrialization and monopolistic practices. His invention exemplifies the tension between individual ingenuity and corporate power, as well as the role of patents in shaping technological progress.

Modern Relevance

While Strowger’s switch is obsolete, its principles endure:

• Automation: Modern VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems still prioritize efficiency and scalability.
• Decentralization: The rise of decentralized networks (e.g., blockchain) echoes Strowger’s goal of bypassing centralized control.

Death

Strowger died on May 26, 1902, from an aneurysm linked to chronic anemia. His burial in Greenwood Cemetery reflects his military service, though his headstone does not mention his groundbreaking invention—a testament to how his legacy was overshadowed by his cantankerous persona in his lifetime.

Unanswered Questions and Myths

Some myths persist about Strowger, such as claims that he invented the rotary dial solely to spite operators. While his frustration was real, his invention was also driven by technical ambition and a desire to solve systemic inefficiencies.

This expanded look reveals Strowger as a multifaceted figure—a veteran, inventor, and disruptor whose legacy transcends his invention. His story underscores how innovation often arises from personal grievances and how individual ingenuity can reshape industries.

References

• Brooks, John. Telephone: The First Hundred Years. Harper & Row, 1975.
• Chandler, Alfred D., Jr., and James W. Cortada (eds.). A Nation Transformed by Information: How Information Has Shaped the United States from Colonial Times to the Present. Oxford University Press, 2000.
• Fagen, M.D. (ed.). A History of Engineering and Science in the Bell System: The Early Years (1875–1925). Bell Telephone Laboratories, 1975.
• Huurdeman, Anton A. The Worldwide History of Telecommunications. Wiley, 2003.
• "Independent Telephone Companies and Their Role in Breaking Bell's Monopoly." Journal of Economic History, vol. 32, no. 1, 1972, pp. 123–145.
• Kansas City Star. "Almon Brown Strowger Obituary." May 27, 1902.
• "The Evolution of Switching Systems." Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 8, 1929, pp. 345–378.
• "The Man Who Revolutionized Telephony." Telephony Magazine, vol. 50, no. 3, March 1950, pp. 12–18.

Patents

• U.S. patent 0,447,918 Strowger switch "Automatic Telephone Exchange" (March 10, 1891)
• U.S. patent 0,486,909 Strowger patent for "Automatic Telephone or Other Electrical Exchange" (November 29, 1892)
• U.S. patent 0,591,201 Strowger, et. al. patent for "Electrical Exchange" (October 5, 1897)

See also

• Rotary dial – Component that allows dialing numbers
• Telephone exchange – Interconnects telephones for calls

Sources

• Katherine Wilcox Thompson, "Penfield's Past", 1960, pub. by the Town of Penfield, NY, pp 178–179
• Hill, R. B. (January 1953). "Early Work on Dial Telephone Systems" (PDF). Bell Laboratories Record. XXXI (1): 22–9.
• Hill, R. B. (March 1953). "The Early Years of the Strowger System" (PDF). Bell Laboratories Record. XXXI (3): 95–103.
• Bell Labs, Bell Laboratories Website

External links

• The oldest Strowger switch still in commercial service today at Camp Shohola for Boys, Pennsylvania, US
• Reproduction with permission of the article Early Work on Dial Telephone Systems by R.B. Hill
• Reproduction with permission of the article The Early Years of the Strowger System by R.B. Hill
• Pinellas Genealogy Society – H.P. Bussey Funeral Home Records – with 2 entries for Strowger, one identified as A.B. Strowger
• Master Cemetery Index, p. 746
• "Mr. Watson. Come Here. I need you.": Bell and the Invention of the Telephone
• BRT Locomotives – Almon B. Strowger
• The Strowger Telecoms Site (UK) with link to 'copyrighted' sounds
• Webpage dedicated to electromechanical telephone switching technologies
• Almon Brown Strowger at Find a Grave
• TCI Library, This is Automatic Electric. 1955.