Samuel Finley Breese Morse — Age, Birthday & Biography
Born: 27 April 1791 · Died: 2 April 1872 · Age at death: 80
How old was Samuel Finley Breese Morse when he died?
Samuel Finley Breese Morse died aged 80. He was born on 27 April 1791 and died on 2 April 1872.
Inventor who co-developed Morse code and the telegraph system
Did you know?Before his scientific breakthroughs, he was a highly regarded painter known for his portraits and historical scenes.
Quick facts
Date of birth27 April 1791
Date of death2 April 1872
Age at death80
Cause of deathPneumonia
NationalityAmerican
BirthplaceCharlestown, United States
Occupationinventor, physicist, sculptor
Editor's Take:
Samuel Morse was a painter who turned inventor after a personal tragedy. His wife died while he was away, and news reached him too late. He worked with others, notably Alfred Vail, to build a practical electric telegraph and a simple code. The first message from Washington to Baltimore in 1844 began an age of instant communication. Morse also held strongly anti-Catholic and pro-slavery views, which complicate his reputation. His code was used at sea for well over a century.
Key Milestones
1826: Becomes president of the National Academy of Design
1838: Demonstrates his telegraph
1844: Sends the first long-distance telegraph message
1854: The Supreme Court upholds his patent
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872) was an American inventor and painter. After establishing his reputation as a portrait painter, Morse, in his middle age, contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs.
Samuel Finley Breese Morse's birthday is April 27. He was born on April 27, 1791 in Charlestown, United States.
How old was Samuel Finley Breese Morse when he died?
Samuel Finley Breese Morse died on April 2, 1872, aged 80.
Who shares a birthday with Samuel Finley Breese Morse?
Famous people who share Samuel Finley Breese Morse's April 27 birthday include Ulysses S. Grant, Mary Wollstonecraft, Herbert Spencer, William Alexander of the Netherlands and Edward Gibbon.
