Philo Farnsworth

Philo Taylor Farnsworth III was born on a ranch near Indian Creek, Utah, to Lewis Edwin Farnsworth and Serena Bastian Farnsworth. His early environment was rural and simple, but encouraged curiosity and resourcefulness.

Farnsworth spent his early years on farms in Utah and Idaho. He displayed an early aptitude for mechanics and electricity, often tinkering with farm machinery and exploring electrical devices.

The Farnsworth family moved to Rigby, Idaho, where electricity became readily available. This marked a turning point for young Philo, allowing him to delve deeper into the world of electrical experimentation. He discovered a collection of old electrical magazines in the attic of their new home, which sparked his interest in electronics and communication technologies.

While attending Rigby High School, Farnsworth began to develop his ideas for electronic television. He envisioned a system that would scan images electronically and transmit them as a stream of electrons. He shared these ideas with his science teacher, Justin Tolman, who recognized their potential.

Farnsworth briefly attended Brigham Young University on a scholarship. However, he left after only a few semesters to pursue his television invention full-time, partly due to financial constraints and a desire to immediately put his ideas into practice.