Joseph Henry was one of the first great American scientists after Benjamin Franklin. Many parallels exist between his life and work and that of the English physicist Michael Faraday. Like Faraday, Henry was born into a poor family. Both received little formal education and both were apprenticed at an early age, Faraday to a book binder, and Henry to a watchmaker at the age of 13. Both, finally made lasting contributions to the field of electrical research.

Henry's interest in science was sparked by an odd coincidence. He had chased his pet rabbit underneath a church. Noticing that some floorboards were missing, 16-year-old Joseph climbed into the church and found a shelf of books. He began looking through Lectures on Experimental Philosophy and was soon hooked on science. He entered the Albany Academy in New York and later began to teach at country schools to earn an income. He...