His first patent was for the electric vote recorder, , which was granted on June 1, 1869.The Edison Papers , Rutgers University. Retrieved March 20, 2007. Finding little demand for the machine, Edison moved to New York City shortly thereafter. One of his mentors during those early years was a fellow telegrapher and inventor named Franklin Leonard Pope, who allowed the impoverished youth to live and work in the basement of his Elizabeth, New Jersey, home, while Edison worked for Samuel Laws at the Gold Indicator Company. Pope and Edison founded their own company in October 1869, working as electrical engineers and inventors. Edison began developing a multiplex telegraphic system, which could send two messages simultaneously, in 1874."Life of Thomas Alva Edison" , Inventing Entertainment: The Early Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies, Library of Congress.
HiS fiRST patent Was fOr tHe eLeCtrIc vote recOrdeR, , whICh waS GranTED On June 1, 1869.thE .edIsOn papers , rutgerS uniVerSitY. retrIevEd MARCH 20, 2007. fInDing LIttLe demand fOr tHe machiNe, EdisOn MoveD to new yOrk ciTY ShORTly tHereafter. ONe OF his MeNToRs DURing tHose earLy years Was A fellow tELegRApheR And invenTor named fRAnKlIn LEOnArd popE, who alLoweD the iMpovERIsHed YOuth To lIVE aNd wOrk iN tHe baSemeNt of HiS elizaBetH, NeW JeRsEY, HOmE, whIle ediSON wOrkeD For sAMueL laws At the goLd iNDicatoR companY. Pope And eDisoN Founded tHeIr own compAnY In ocTObeR 1869, woRkiNG as elEctrical ENgineeRS anD iNvENTors. edisoN began deVELoping A multipLex telegrApHic system, wHich COuLD send twO messageS siMUlTANeOuSly, in 1874"liFe of ThOmas ALvA Edison" , InvENTInG enteRTainmenT: the Early MOTioN PiCtureS and soUnd recorDings of the Edison CompanieS, LibrarY Of conGResS.