Signal Flares
                     by: A. O.

    Marhtha Coston was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1826. Martha moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 14. There she met her future husband in a park. They were introduced by a neutral friends and it was instant love at first sight. They eloped two years later at the extremely immature age of 16. Benjamin Coston was a recognized inventor at the young age of 19. He had already invented a small submarine that could stay underwater for eight hours. This had earned him a well respected job in the navy. Martha feared moving a lot so Benjamin transferred to Washington D.C. at a Naval base.

    Martha Coston was in her early twenties when she invented the signal Flare. She invented it a just the right when the U.S.A. was strangle within it's self with the civil war. Martha was having trouble raising her children as a single mother. Her housebound had died years before but one day she came arcs the old blue prints of a signal flare that her husband had left behind with her. Martha could see that it was all wrong and from then on she worked on developing the first ever signal flare.

    Martha Coston was a great help to the north in the Civil War. She provided a great help to the army with her flare that she invented. She also gave a great hop and inspiration to all the women who didn't think that they were able to invent things. At the age of twenty one she introduced the world to the first ever invented signal flare. This flare allowed the soldiers to keep in contact with others and show them were they are in the near land. "Pyrotechnic Night Signals" is what she patted her invention as in 1959. This invention rapidly changed the lives of every day soldiers.

    After inventing her invention the signal flare, Martha Coston became popular around the U.S. She walked and talked with a few Presidents in her time. Martha met and negotiated with generals of America. She even had the pleasure of being entertained by royalty. Since her invention eve her great wealth and success she was able to travel the world with style and class. She even had the privilege of having a biography written about her life and her great knowledge. A signal Success was written by J. B. Company in 1886. Martha was extremely proud of what she has accomplished and believes that anything can be done in the future.
 
 
 

    Vare, Ethie Ann and Patch, Greg. Mothers of Invention. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1988.

    "Martha Coston Invents Rescue Flares during Civil War." Unknown. http://www.inventorsmuseum.com/martha.htm. (May 17,2000 )

    The Groiller Inc. "Coston, Martha". 1995 Groiler Multimedia Encyclopedia. C-D rom. Naiveté: Mindscape Inc, 1995.