Alfred Powell Morgan


Alfred Powell 'Skipper' Morgan was an electrical engineer, inventor of radio and mechanical devices, and author of technical and children's books from the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Life and career

Originally from Upper Montclair, New Jersey, Morgan attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a radio manufacturer for many years. He was a partner Adams Morgan, an electronics company founded in around 1910 that distributed radio construction kits. Paul Forman Godley, developer of the Paragon Receivers, joined in 1915 as the third partner. The company employed 50-100 staff in 1922/23. Due to economic problems, production was halted at the end of 1927.

Writing

Morgan wrote many books on radio and electronics. He wrote a series of books on the subject for young people, including the Boys First, Second, Third & Fourth Book Of Radio And Electronics. Morgan had four sons, which is why his books were originally written for boys, but editions from the 1970s were edited for boys and girls. Some of the projects described in his books cannot be built easily today because the parts are difficult to find, but many are based on simple parts and hand tools that can be found at a hardware or electronic supply store. Safety standards have also improved in the last hundred years, so some of the projects described would now be considered risky. Some of the books are available in reprints including The Boy Electrician.
Morgan also edited a monthly column on electricity and mechanics in The Boys' Magazine.

US patents

;Chemistry
;Electronics
;Pets
;Tools / Misc