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An early associate of Edison, William H. Meadowcroft worked for the Edison Lamp Works in Harrison, New Jersey, during the 1880s. He came to the West Orange laboratory in 1908 to assist Frank L. Dyer and T. Commerford Martin in the research and writing of Edison: His Life and Inventions, which was published by Harper & Brothers in 1910. In addition to gathering material, Meadowcroft ghostwrote a substantial portion of the book. He also authored a biography for young readers entitled The Boy's Life of Edison (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1911). In 1910, Meadowcroft became Edison's confidential secretary, a position he held until the inventor's death in 1931.
The papers consist primarily of material collected or generated by Meadowcroft during the preparation of the biography. Included are reminiscences by Edison and his associates, along with drafts and galley proofs of the book. Also included is incoming and outgoing correspondence pertaining to other publications about Edison and to Meadowcroft's personal life and business endeavors, as well as items concerning electricity, x-rays, and other matters. The selected documents cover the years 1907-1913 and are arranged in three series: (1) Correspondence; (2) Reminiscences by Edison; and (3) Reminiscences about Edison. A finding aid to the archival record group is available at the Edison National Historical Park.
Among the documents not selected are multiple versions of Meadowcroft's notes, drafts, and proofs for the Dyer and Martin biography and for The Boy's Life of Edison; reminiscences subsequently published by Edward G. Acheson and Francis Jehl; personal correspondence unrelated to Edison or to Meadowcroft's work for Edison; and items that duplicate information in selected material.
