The Legacy of Warren S. Johnson

Warren S. Johnson was a 20th century American professor and inventor who lived in Wisconsin. He was credited with over 50 patents during his lifetime.

He contributed greatly to the development of temperature control systems. He developed and patented a bi-metal coiled thermostat in 1883. Two years later, he finished development of his most contributing invention: the first automatic multi-zone temperature control system for which he would receive a patent. Journalist H. L. Mencken compared Warren S. Johnson to the likes of Shakespeare, Michelangelo and Beethoven for his inventions in temperature control systems.
In the same year, he found Johnson Electric Service Company (now Johnson Controls International Inc.), a company that exists to this day and focuses on efficiency of energy.
He went on to invent numerous control systems, design tower clocks and work on electric storage batteries. He experimented with wireless telegraphing and founded the American Wireless Telegraph Company. Warren S. Johnson also founded an automobile company while working on steam-powered luxury cars and postal service trucks during his life. The automobile company was among the first to deliver mail without the use of horses.