thomasalvaedison

The gentleman behind and to Edison's right appears to be Josephus Daniels, then Secretary of the Navy. See www.patriotspoint.org/news_events/josephus-daniels-and-na... , which alludes to a tour of the Brooklyn Naval Yard by Edison and Daniels in October 1914. (Mysteriously, their picture of the event has been removed -- is there some conspiracy here?) I'd guess that's Mrs. Edison who has Thomas by his left arm.

Ah -- another photo of the same event:

This photo appears to be taken on the occasion of the award of the first Franklin Medals to Edison and Dutch scientist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes at a ceremony n Philadelphia on May 19, 1915. A newspaper account in the Franklin Insitute archives mentions that Onnes' medal would be received by the Dutch Minister, Chevalier van Rappard, who sits to the right of Mrs. Edison and holds a scroll and medal box. [Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, of Leiden, Holland, ... received a Franklin Medal ..., "in recognition of his long-continued and indefatigable labors in low-temperature research which have enriched physical science not only with a great number of new methods and ingenious devices, but also with achievements and discoveries of the first magnitude."] www.fi.edu/learn/case-files/edison/reward.html The others are either officers of the Franklin Institute, or pioneers and luminaries in electricity and related fields invited to speak or be present at the ceremony. Thomas Edison and his second wife, Mina Miller Edison, at front right. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_edison Top left, electrical engineer R. B. Owens known for his work with fellow McGill University professor and 1908 Nobel laureate Ernest Rutherford with Thorium (Radon). www.icds2011.com/rutherford.shtml He was Secretary of the Franklin Institute in 1915. www.fi.edu/learn/case-files/edison/full/busy.jpg Top row, third from left, Frank J. Sprague, inventor of electrical products and systems. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_J._Sprague Top right, "Robert Tait McKenzie (May 26, 1867 – April 28, 1938) was an internationally renowned Canadian-born sculptor, doctor, soldier, physical educator, athlete and Scouter," McKenzie designed the Franklin Medal www.fi.edu/learn/case-files/edison/full/article.jpg en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Tait_McKenzie Second from right, William Stanley, 1858-1916, inventor of the first transformer and many other innovative electrical products. books.google.com/books?id=Te85AQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA119&... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stanley,_Jr. Front left, Samuel Insull (November 11, 1859 – July 16, 1938) was a British-born American business magnate, who founded the company which became General Electric. He greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insull,_Samuel He also backed the creation of the Franklin Medal. Left of Edison, Dr Walton Clark, president of the Franklin Institute from 1907-1924. old.library.temple.edu/collections/urbana/clark-777.jsp;j... Left rear, John J. Carty, president AT&T, according to the newspaper article cited above, Chief Engineer according to Wikipedia, and president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers from 1915 to 1916. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Carty en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Carty

This meeting? books.google.com/books?id=iR4wAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA65&am... Robert Bowie Owens (1870-1940) seems to have two wikipedia pages!: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._B._Owens en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bowie_Owens John Joseph Carty (1861-1932): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_J._Carty William Stanley Jr. (1858-1916): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stanley,_Jr. Frank J. Sprague (1857-1934): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_J._Sprague Samuel Insull(1859-1938): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insull Walton Clark(1856-1934): old.library.temple.edu/collections/urbana/clark-777.jsp;j... Robert Tait McKenzie(1867-1938): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Tait_McKenzie

(Hah, we were both linking their wikipedia entries at the same time!)

This is a great photograph.

Thanks to both of you for your research.

Josephus Daniels (May 18, 1862 – January 15, 1948) was a newspaper editor and publisher from North Carolina who was appointed by United States President Woodrow Wilson to serve as Secretary of the Navy during World War I. He was also a close friend and supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt and served as his Ambassador to Mexico. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus_Daniels