Early Telephone Pioneer
JOSEPH J. O'CONNELL
TELEPHONE PIONEER, INVENTOR
& ENGINEER MADE SUBSTANTIAL
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EARLY
DAYS OF THE TELEPHONE
INDUSTRY IN CHICAGO.
MR. O'CONNELL RETIRED FROM
ILLINOIS BELL IN 1930 AFTER 52
YEARS OF SERVICE. HE LIVED ON
THIS SITE FROM THE EARLY 1880'S
UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1939 AT AGE 98.
THIS PLAQUE IS GRATEFULLY
DEDICATED TO HIS MEMORY
BY ILLINOIS BELL."
He held numerous patents for his innovations, which significantly advanced telephone technology. Some of his notable inventions include:
- Circuit breaker and coin return: These were essential for the functionality of early telephone systems, particularly for public payphones.
- "Invisible wire" (Multiplexing): This groundbreaking invention allowed more than one telephone conversation to occur on the same wire, dramatically increasing the capacity and efficiency of telephone networks. This was a precursor to modern multiplexing technologies.
- Telephone exchange apparatuses, electric circuits, and switchboard functions: He developed various improvements to the central office equipment that connected telephone calls, making the process more efficient and reliable.
- Party-line system: While sometimes associated with eavesdropping, the party-line system was initially a vital innovation that allowed multiple users to share a single telephone line, especially in rural areas, making telephone service more accessible.
- Coin collectors for telephone toll lines: His work helped establish the infrastructure for pay-per-call services.
Wikipedia
Seeing this house in the Old Town Triangle district of Chicago and reading the plaque reminded me of this old family photo of my grandfather and the crew he worked with at Illinois Bell in the early 1930s.
So often I wish I could go back and ask questions and learn more about the lives of the people in my family who have passed on.
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That's interesting. Never heard of a guy!
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I hadn't heard of him before either! Sounds like he was quite a genius.
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i wonder how he would look at the modern day use of telephones .
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He probably wouldn't even recognize today's technology!
Thank you for sharing the photos. It's interesting how your own family stories combine with the great stories of technological advancements that defined an era in our civilization.
Love the old phone gif! Reading about this guy reminded me I has that old family photo that says Illinois Bell on the back. Wish I knew more details. Grandpa went on to become a crane operator.
I also wish the same thing, especially to my grandfather of great grandfather so that I know the whole family tree in my family temple and also askeed more about the life in my place back in that era.
We don't even have th payphone here in my place as we are so far away from the city. hahaha
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My grandkids think the idea of putting money into a payphone slot to be able to make a phone call is hilarious. They can't begin to imagine the days before cell phones.
Remembering and telling the stories is important.
Interesting.He truly has a great contribution in todays upgraded technology.He made an history.
Technology has come a long way!
Hmm that was nice and I am wondering if it still looks okay with the modern or new phones this days.
It certainly is different now!
That guy was an innovator, and he must have made a fortune off of those patents. Then to live to 98 years old, talk about a long life, and he achieved so many impressive things in his years working with the telephone company. There wouldn't have been the old public pay phones if he hadn't come up with the idea!
And party lines! I remember that we had a party line when I was very small up until the time that my father wanted to use the phone and a neighbor was talking and wouldn't yield to him. I think we had a private line installed the next day!
@melinda010100 Greetings honey, very beautiful photos and nice history, a big hug for you...
Thanks! I love the house he lived in!
@melinda010100 🤗
We also remember the time when we used to go and pay money to make a phone call and use the phone for two minutes. Those were the old days, they are memorable.
What a privilege to be able to visit this place steeped in so much history!
A great inventor whose legacy we will always be grateful for, without a doubt.
Thank you for sharing this wonder!
The man was a bit of a genius! It was fun to learn about him.
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