Thomas O'Conor Sloane, Ph.D. (November 21, 1851- August 7, 1940) was the editor of Amazing Stories from 1929 through 1938. In that year, publisher Ziff-Davis moved production of the magazine to Chicago and named Raymond A. Palmer as Sloane's successor.
Sloane was involved with Amazing Stories from the very beginning, serving as Hugo Gernsback's managing editor. His own role in the magazine production grew and in 1929, he was named editor. Shortly after, in an editorial, he wrote that he believed that man would never achieve spaceflight. Nevertheless, he published first stories by luminaries such as Jack Williamson, John W. Campbell, Jr., Clifford D. Simak, and E.E. "Doc" Smith.
There is evidence to support the claim that Sloane may have originated the term "science fiction."
Sloane was the author of The Standard Electrical Dictionary, first published in 1892, as well as How to become a Successful Electrician, Arithmetic of Electricity, Electricity Simplified, Electric Toy Making and dozens more. He translated Saint Francis of Assisi: A Biography written by Johannes Jorgensen into English.
Sloane was the editor of Scientific American and also served as an associate editor of Science and Invention magazine.
Sloane was a professor of physics and mathematics at Seton Hall University for several years. He held an A.M., an E.M., and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.
His best known invention was the Self-Recording Photometer for Gas Power - the only invention to measure and record the illuminating power of gas.
Sloane's son, John Eyre Sloane, was married to Thomas Alva Edison's daughter Madeleine in 1914; their four sons were Edison's only grandchildren.[1]