Miller Reese Hutchinson

Born in Montrose, Alabama, on August 6, 1876, Miller Reese Hutchison grew into one of the more wide-ranging American inventors of his time. He studied engineering in Alabama and later became known for practical, marketable inventions rather than purely theoretical work.

His best-known achievement was the Acousticon, widely described as the first practical portable electric hearing aid. He also developed the Klaxon horn, a sound that became instantly recognizable in early motoring, and he worked on a variety of other electrical and mechanical devices over the course of his career.

Hutchison later served as chief engineer to Thomas Edison, a role that reflected the reputation he had built as a capable and imaginative problem-solver. He died in 1944, leaving behind a body of work that connects medicine, transportation, and the fast-moving world of modern invention.