Ezra Gilliland

{{Short description|American inventor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ezra Gilliland

| image = File:Ezra Gilliand.jpg

| caption = Image of Ezra T Gilliland from Telegraph and Telephone Age (1903)

| birth_date = June 17, 1845

| birth_name = Ezra Torrance Gilliland

| birth_place = Cuba, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1903|5|13|1845|6|17}}

| death_place =

| other_names =

| known_for =

| occupation =

}}

Ezra Torrance Gilliland (June 17, 1845 – May 13, 1903) was an inventor who designed the telephone switchboard and the magneto bell.{{cite news |title=Obituary - Ezra T. Gilliand |url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%204/New%20Rochelle%20NY%20Pioneer/New%20Rochelle%20NY%20Pioneer%201903%20-%201908%20Grayscale/New%20Rochelle%20NY%20Pioneer%201903%20-%201908%20Grayscale%20-%200081.pdf |accessdate=6 January 2019 |work=New Rochelle Pioneer |issue=Vo. 45 No. 8 |date=May 16, 1903}} Gilliland had a laboratory in his home and "kept seven expert electricians employed" as he worked on his ideas. He built the first telephone exchange in Indianapolis in the 1870s under the name Gilliland Telephone Manufacturing Company and later worked for the Bell Telephone Company.{{cite news |title=E. T. GILLILAND DIED AT HIS NEW YORK HOME -- A FAMOUS INVENTOR -- KNOWN IN INDIANAPOLIS -- ASSOCIATED WITH EDISON |url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INN19030513-01.1.11 |accessdate=6 January 2019 |work=Indianapolis News |date=13 May 1903}}{{cite web | title=Early Telegraph and Electrical Manufacturers | website=Telegraph-History | date=1918-02-16 | url=http://www.telegraph-history.org/manufacturers/ | access-date=2019-01-06}}{{cite web | title=The Diary of Thomas Edison | website=ariwatch.com | url=http://ariwatch.com/VS/TheDiaryOfThomasEdison.htm | access-date=2019-01-06}}

Gilliland was a friend and colleague of Thomas Edison and the two worked together on many projects. They met as young men and called each other "Damon and Pythias" because of their close friendship. Edison met his second wife at Gilliland's home.{{cite web | title=Obituary, Mina Miller (Mrs Thomas A.) Edison, August 25th, 1947 · Edison Papers Digital Edition | website=The Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University | date=1947-08-25 | url=http://edison.rutgers.edu/digital/document/X453W1F | access-date=2019-01-06}} Gilliland wrote frequently in trade journals promoting Edison's inventions.{{cite news |last1=Gilliland |first1=Ezra |title=The Phonograph |url=http://edison.rutgers.edu/digital/document/PA015A |accessdate=6 January 2019 |work=Electrical World |date=May 19, 1888}} The two were business partners, even occupying adjacent vacation homes in Fort Myers, Florida, until 1889 when they had a falling out over business dealings.{{cite web | title=The House (and Gardens) That Tom Built - October 2010 - Naples, FL | website=Gulfshore Life | date=1947-02-19 | url=https://www.gulfshorelife.com/October-2010/The-House-and-Gardens-That-Tom-Built/ | access-date=2019-01-06}}{{cite news |title=AGAINST EDISON.; THE WIZARD'S SUIT AGAINST GILLILAND AND TOMLINSON DECIDED. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1890/04/11/archives/against-edison-the-wizards-suit-against-gilliland-and-tomlinson.html |accessdate=6 January 2019 |work=New York Times |date=April 11, 1890}}{{cite web | title=Maintenance temporarily closes Edison guest house | website=The News-Press | date=2014-10-10 | url=https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/fort-myers/2014/10/09/maintenance-temporarily-closes-edison-guest-house/17008231/ | access-date=2019-01-06}}