Martha Coston

Before the invention of radio and other electronic modes of communication, night flares played a significant role in early modern warfare as a means of communication. They were created and copyrighted in 1859 by Martha Coston, who used them to great advantage during the American Civil War. Military forces all throughout the world gradually adopted the flare and code system, paving the way for the complex flare systems still in use today.

Interestingly, Coston never had any intentions of becoming an engineer or inventor; her late husband, Benjamin Franklin Coston, was the one who first conceived of the design. However, his concept was ineffective, and Martha essentially created a successful model on her own. Some historians claim that because the Union Army was the first significant customer to buy flares in mass, her flares were essential throughout the Civil War. Induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame took place for Coston in 2006. In Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery, Section D, Lot 62 is where Coston and her husband are interred.

Born: December 12, 1826Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died: July 9, 1904 (aged 77)
Resting place: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation: Owner of the Coston Signal Company