INVENTOR

Frank J. Sprague

1857 - 1934

Frank J. Sprague

Frank Julian Sprague (July 25, 1857 – October 25, 1934) was an American inventor who contributed to the development of the electric motor, electric railways, and electric elevators. His contributions were especially important in promoting urban development by increasing the size cities could reasonably attain (through better transportation) and by allowing greater concentration of business in commercial sections (through use of electric elevators in skyscrapers). He became known as the "father of electric traction". Demonstrating an aptitude for science and mathematics, Sprague secured an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1874 and, after graduation in 1878 and 2 years at sea, resigned to pursue his career in electrical engineering. Read more on Wikipedia

Her biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Frank J. Sprague is the 367th most popular inventor (down from 353rd in 2019), the 8,725th most popular biography from United States (down from 7,778th in 2019) and the 96th most popular American Inventor.

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Among INVENTORS

Among inventors, Frank J. Sprague ranks 367 out of 426. Before her are Phil Ramone, Orville Gibson, Andy Bechtolsheim, Norman Joseph Woodland, Ken Olsen, and Giovanni Caselli. After her are Amar Bose, Andrew Viterbi, Karl Jatho, Edward Craven Walker, Harry Ferguson, and Tabitha Babbitt.

Most Popular Inventors in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings

Phil Ramone
1934 - 2013
HPI: 54.63
Rank: 361
Orville Gibson
1856 - 1918
HPI: 54.59
Rank: 362
Andy Bechtolsheim
1955 - Present
HPI: 54.56
Rank: 363
Norman Joseph Woodland
1921 - 2012
HPI: 54.51
Rank: 364
Ken Olsen
1926 - 2011
HPI: 54.44
Rank: 365
Giovanni Caselli
1815 - 1891
HPI: 54.40
Rank: 366
Frank J. Sprague
1857 - 1934
HPI: 54.32
Rank: 367
Amar Bose
1929 - 2013
HPI: 54.25
Rank: 368
Andrew Viterbi
1935 - Present
HPI: 54.10
Rank: 369
Karl Jatho
1873 - 1933
HPI: 54.02
Rank: 370
Edward Craven Walker
1918 - 2000
HPI: 53.95
Rank: 371
Harry Ferguson
1884 - 1960
HPI: 53.91
Rank: 372
Tabitha Babbitt
1779 - 1853
HPI: 53.88
Rank: 373

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1857, Frank J. Sprague ranks 127. Before her are Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch, Aleksei Evert, Milton S. Hershey, John Joly, Clarence Darrow, and Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer. After her are Michael Pedersen Friis, David Prain, Max Weiss, Edward Henry Potthast, Charles B. Cory, and Rudolf Thurneysen. Among people deceased in 1934, Frank J. Sprague ranks 145. Before her are Jiro Sato, John Brinck, Wallace Fard Muhammad, Horace Lamb, Hélène Boucher, and Cass Gilbert. After her are Elizabeth Gertrude Britton, Augusto Pestana, Lou Tellegen, Arthur Schuster, Gustav de Vries, and Leonid Sobinov.

Others Born in 1857

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Arthur Rudolf Hantzsch
CHEMIST
1857 - 1935
HPI: 55.39
Rank: 121
Aleksei Evert
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1857 - 1918
HPI: 55.37
Rank: 122
Milton S. Hershey
BUSINESSPERSON
1857 - 1945
HPI: 55.13
Rank: 123
John Joly
PHYSICIST
1857 - 1933
HPI: 55.05
Rank: 124
Clarence Darrow
LAWYER
1857 - 1938
HPI: 54.83
Rank: 125
Herbert Plumer, 1st Viscount Plumer
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1857 - 1932
HPI: 54.42
Rank: 126
Frank J. Sprague
INVENTOR
1857 - 1934
HPI: 54.32
Rank: 127
Michael Pedersen Friis
POLITICIAN
1857 - 1944
HPI: 53.86
Rank: 128
David Prain
BIOLOGIST
1857 - 1944
HPI: 53.43
Rank: 129
Max Weiss
CHESS PLAYER
1857 - 1927
HPI: 53.37
Rank: 130
Edward Henry Potthast
PAINTER
1857 - 1927
HPI: 52.40
Rank: 131
Charles B. Cory
BIOLOGIST
1857 - 1921
HPI: 52.38
Rank: 132
Rudolf Thurneysen
LINGUIST
1857 - 1940
HPI: 52.10
Rank: 133