1894 – 1970

Percy Spencer

American engineer and inventor (1894–1970)

inventorengineer
Born
1894-07-09, Howland
Died
1970-09-08
Birthplace state
Maine

Biography

Percy Spencer was born on July 9, 1894, in Howland, Maine, and died on September 8, 1970. An inventor and engineer, he worked as a physicist and electrical engineer. Orphaned twice during childhood, he left school early and began working young. While working night shifts, he taught himself calculus, trigonometry, physics, and chemistry through self-study, a practice he continued throughout his life.

Occupation

Percy Spencer is recorded as a inventor and a engineer, born in Maine (1894–1970).

Connections to Maine

Percy Spencer was born in Howland, Maine in 1894. Explore other notable figures from Maine, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Maine

Other historical figures born in Maine, ranked by historical prominence.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
American poet and educator (1807–1882)
John Ford
John Ford
American film director (1894–1973)
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
Vice President of the United States from 1974 to 1977
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Edna St. Vincent Millay
American poet (1892–1950)
Hannibal Hamlin
Hannibal Hamlin
Vice President of the United States from 1861 to 1865 (1809–1891)
Samantha Smith
Samantha Smith
American peace activist and child actress (1972–1985)
Ellen G. White
Ellen G. White
American author, co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (1827–1915)

Frequently asked about Percy Spencer

Who was Percy Spencer?
Percy Spencer was American engineer and inventor (1894–1970), born in Maine (1894 – 1970).
When and where was Percy Spencer born?
Percy Spencer was born on 1894-07-09 in Howland.
When did Percy Spencer die?
Percy died on 1970-09-08.
What was Percy Spencer known for?
Percy Spencer is recorded as a inventor and a engineer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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