About William Morrison
Lived 1860 – 1926 (aged 65–66). William Morrison was a dentist and inventor.
William James Morrison (1860–1926) was an American dentist and inventor who is best known for developing the cotton candy machine.
Career Morrison, from Nashville, Tennessee, was an avid inventor, and has a number of inventions to his credit. One of them is the first cotton candy (originally named Fairy Floss and named candy floss in the UK and fairy floss in Australia) machine, which he invented in 1897 in cooperation with confectioner John C. Wharton. This electric machine melted sugar and then used forced-air to push it through a wire screen. It was introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and was a big success. Thomas Patton and Josef Delarose Lascaux also claimed to invent the cotton candy machine.
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Important facts
People in William Morrison's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Morrison's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Morrison?
Dentist and inventor from Nashville, Tennessee known for developing the cotton candy machine
When was William Morrison born?
William Morrison was born in 1860.
When did William Morrison die?
William Morrison died in 1926.
What was William Morrison's occupation?
William Morrison was a dentist and inventor.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Morrison (dentist)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Morrison. https://biography.guide/william-morrison-dentist/
MLA: "William Morrison." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-morrison-dentist/.
Chicago: "William Morrison." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-morrison-dentist/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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