Described in his obituary as “one of the nation’s greatest
inventors and scientists,” Dr. Miller Reese Hutchison, MMI Class
of 1890, served as Thomas Edison’s right-hand man (Edison called
his assistants “muckers”) for a number of years in the Edison
Laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey. An electrical and
acoustical engineer who was born, raised, and largely educated
in Alabama, Dr. Hutchison had several hundred inventions to his
credit. He worked as Chief Engineer for all of Thomas Edison’s
interests and representations during his tenure. Dr. Miller
Reese Hutchison with Thomas Edison c. 1910-1918. (Credit: http:/
/www.corbisimages.com/images/67/7AA65778-FC9C-4329-B167-
E81ACD6610A2/IH044426.jpg ) Thomas Edison’s original Menlo Park
(NJ) Laboratory. (Credit:
http://0.tqn.com/d/inventors/1/0/i/L/edisonmenlopark.jpg ) Born
in Montrose, Alabama (Baldwin County), near Mobile, on August 6,
1876, Miller Reese Hutchison was educated in the Mobile public
schools, Spring Hill College, Marion Military Institute (1889-18