The Samson Electric Company was organized in 1883, in Boston, where it made electric lighters for gas lamps until 1904. At that time the company moved to Canton, Massachusetts, and changed its name to the Electric Goods Manufacturers in order to emphasize its broadened line. In 1916, the company reverted to the name Samson Electric Co. (better name recognition?) and made fire alarms, marine ignition systems, and "wireless receivers." The latter were, in fact, headphones.