Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in Smiljan, Austrian Empire (now Croatia). Nikola Tesla's background is described as Serbian; son of an Orthodox priest. Growing up, the family was middle class — orthodox-priest father; inventive mother who devised household tools. Arrived in New York nearly penniless; his AC patents electrified the world — he died poor.

Born

1856 · Smiljan, Austrian Empire (now Croatia)

Roots

Serbian; son of an Orthodox priest

Family

Middle class

Orthodox-priest father; inventive mother who devised household tools.

Education

Graz Polytechnic (left without a degree)

Started with

~4 cents

By his account, what remained in his pocket when he landed in New York in 1884.

Affiliations & societies

None documented.

Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.

The pathway

1. 1884 · age 28
   Lands in New York

   With a letter of introduction to Thomas Edison; quits within a year over a disputed bonus.

2. 1886 · age 30
   Digging ditches

   After his first company ousts him, he works manual jobs for a year.

3. 1888 · age 32
   AC patents licensed$60K + royalties

   Westinghouse licenses his induction-motor and transformer patents.

4. 1893 · age 37
   Chicago World's Fair

   Westinghouse and Tesla's AC system lights the exposition; AC wins the currents war.

5. 1901 · age 45
   Wardenclyffe tower$150K

   J.P. Morgan funds a transatlantic wireless project.

6. 1906 · age 50
   Funding collapses

   Morgan declines further investment; the tower is never completed.

7. 1943 · age 86
   Dies in a hotel room

   Alone and in debt at the Hotel New Yorker.