Moses Gerrish Farmer was an electrical engineer and inventor from Boscawen, New Hampshire best known for inventing the first electric fire alarm in 1852, inventing the lightbulb 11 years before Thomas Edison and his contributions to telegraphy (long distance communication using text or symbols), successfully sharing messages between New York and Philadelphia in 1856. In 1868, he used a dynamo (electrical generator that produces direct current with the use of communtator) to light a house in Massachusetts and his early lightbulb patent was bought by Thomas Edison. He didn't achieve commercial success with his ideas because as a spiritualist, he believed his talents were God-given and shouldn't take credit for any of the work.