The Flashlight
Before the modern battery powered flashlight was invented, people used other sources of light such as, candles and torches. The original owner of American Eveready Company, Joshua Lionel Cowen invented the flashlight in 1898. Cowen presented his idea to Conrad Hubert (an Eveready employee), who used a metal tube, lightbulb and battery to develop the world’s first flashlight. The words "Let There Be Light" appeared on the cover of the 1899 Eveready catalog, to advertise the release of the flashlight.
Joshua Lionel Cowen
EveReady and Energizer
1890 - Conrad Hubert invented the electric hand torch
1896 - W.H. Lawrence created the first consumer battery to power home telephones
1898 - The first Ever Ready flashlight was produced
1902 - The first Ever Ready trademark appeared on end caps of flashlights
1906 - Conrad sold half the interest of his battery company to the National Carbon Company
-Ever Ready product name changed to EveReady®
1910 - The first EveReady pre-focused flashlight bulb was introduced (which included a bulb and a reflector)
1937 - EveReady introduces a tungsten filament bulb
1956 - EveReady acquired V.K. Song & Co. Ltd. (now Sonca), manufactures of aluminum flashlights
1967 - The first EveReady rechargeable flashlight was introduced
1975 - The economy light was introduced and today is the most popular flashlight
1986 - EveReady introduced the first squeeze light creating compact travel size lights
1997 - The first Energizer® branded flashlight was introduced, the DoubleBarrel®
1998 - EveReady celebrates 100 years of portable lighting
2007 - The first EveReady LED flashlight was introduced