Timeline
1893 entered the College of the City of New York
1896 joins Henner & Anderson, an early dry cell battery manufacturer
1897 he took a job at the Acme Lamp Company in New York as a battery lamp assembler
1899 Cowen received his first patent for a device that ignited a photographer's flash
1899 Cowen received a defense contract from the United States Navy to produce mine fuses
1900 Cowen and Harry C. Grant founded Lionel Manufacturing Company in New York City
1900 he filed his second patent which improved on the first design of his flash igniter
1901 Lionel Manufacturing Company begins selling electric fans, battery operated with a small motor
1901 Cowen developed the first Lionel train—a battery-powered “Electric Express.”
1904 Cowen married Cecelia Liberman
1909 Cowen was calling his model trains "The Standard of the World."
1910 Joshua changes is last name from Cohen to Cowan
1915 O-Gauge was introduced, which eventually became the most popular scale of train
1918 Lionel Manufacturing Company renamed Lionel Corporation
1947 In an interview with The New Yorker magazine, Cowan claims he invented the flashlight
1953 Lionel became was the largest toy manufacturer in the world
1959 Joshua sold all of his stock to his nephew, the infamous attorney, Roy Cohn
1959 Retired from Lionel Corporation
1999 Lionel trains were selected as one of the top 10 toys of the 20th century
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