Samuel Finley Breese Morse, was born on April 27, 1791 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was the son of Jedidiah Morse, a well known pastor. He attended Yale College. Although he was indifferent about his studies, he was fascinated by lectures on the emerging study of electricity.

In 1825, Morse moved to New York to pursue his passion in painting, an art he studied in England. He received much acclaim and became a much respected painter.

Morse became fascinated at the possibility of an electric telegraph. He struggled with the idea and financial backing and eventually invented what is popularly referred to world wide as Morse Code.

In 1848 he made his cousin his second wife, she was described at deaf and dumb. They had several children together. Morse, financially stable, was very generous, donating money to several colleges and organizations. He died of pneumonia on April 2, 1872 at the age of 80.