Stenography, or shorthand writing, became popular in the 19th century for quickly capturing speech, especially in legal and business settings. Miles Bartholomew, an official court reporter from Belleville, Illinois, invented the first successful shorthand machine in 1877. His machine, which created dots and dashes like Morse code, was patented in 1879 and 1884. Although it was not successful financially, it gained some use, and schools adopted it. Bartholomew remained a strong advocate for machine shorthand, believing it would eventually surpass pen shorthand. The U.S. Stenograph Company, founded in 1890, built on Bartholomew’s work with the introduction of the stenographic typewriter. This machine combined regular typing with shorthand, allowing stenographers to write much faster than on a standard typewriter. The first model, released in 1890, enabled stenographers to write up to 200 words per minute, a significant improvement. It quickly became the tool of choice for court reporters, journalists, and businesses needing fast documentation. Today, stenography continues to be essential in legal, medical, and business fields for quick and accurate transcription.