Elisha Gray, 1835-1901, was an American inventor, born in Barnesville, Ohio, and educated at Oberlin College. Beginning in 1867 he took out some 70 patents for the telegraph, telephone, and other electrical appliances, such as the telautograph. With E. M. Barton, he organized the firm of Gray and Barton from which the Western Electric Company developed. He claimed the invention of the speaking telephone on the score of a caveat containing specifications which was filed a few hours after Alexander Graham Bell had filed a patent (Feb. 14, 1876). The infringement case was finally decided in Bell's favor.
