Samuel Morse

April 27, 1791 – April 2, 1872

Inventor of the Telegraph

What hath God wrought — the first words of the telegraph age

Biography

American inventor and painter who developed the electric telegraph and Morse code, revolutionizing long-distance communication. Originally trained as an artist, he turned to invention after personal tragedy.

Faith & Testimony

Morse was a devout Calvinist. The first message sent by telegraph in 1844 was 'What hath God wrought' (Numbers 23:23) — chosen by Annie Ellsworth. Morse himself said: 'The nearer I approach the end of my pilgrimage... the grandeur and sublimity of God's remedy for fallen man are more appreciated.'

Sources

Morse — Wikipedia — Inventor of the telegraph
Samuel Morse: Faith Behind the Famous Message — The first telegraph message was 'What hath God wrought!' (Numbers 23:23) — Morse saw the telegraph as God's gift and believed science served divine purposes
Samuel F.B. Morse: His Letters and Journals — Edward Lind Morse (ed.) — Primary source collection of Morse's letters revealing his deep Christian faith and his view that the telegraph was providentially given