STEVENS, JOHN (1749-1838), American inventor, was born in New York City in 1749, graduated at Columbia university in 1768, subsequently studied law and was admitted to the New York bar in 1771. In 1776 he became a captain in the Revolution ary army, and later colonel of his own regiment. From 1777 to 1782 he served as treasurer of the State of New Jersey. In he built a home on what was then the Island of Hoboken, sub sequently, when connected with the mainland, known as Stevens Point, where he resided for over half a century until his death March 6, 1838. He purchased the ferry to New York and much of the main New Jersey shore. Along the road leading to the ferry landing he began the development of the city of Hoboken.
The problem of safe and speedy transportation across the Hud son drew his interest early to the possibilities of steam navigation. In 1788 he built the first multitubular boiler on record for use in his marine engines. In a desire to protect this invention he peti tioned Congress for a patent law, which he outlined, and which was passed as the Patent Law of 1790 the foundation of the present patent system. He was the first to apply the principle of screw propulsion to navigation, building in 1802 a steamboat with two underwater propellers of screw type in the stern which suc cessfully crossed the Hudson several times and only failed because the inefficient boilers of that day could not generate enough power to make the screw device practical. He turned then toward the
development of high pressure steam engines and boilers in which field he was a pioneer. But a few days after Fulton's successful trial of the "Clermont" Stevens launched the "Phoenix," the engine of which was built by Stevens himself, whereas that of the "Clermont" was imported from England. Fulton having received a monopoly grant of navigation rights on the Hudson, Stevens sent the "Phoenix" by sea to Philadelphia, the first voyage of a steam ship on ocean waters. Stevens was also interested in railways, writing in 1812 a pamphlet entitled Documents tending to prove the Superior Advantages of Railways and Steam Carriages over Canal Navigation. On February 6, 1815, he obtained the first railway charter granted in America for a railway between the Delaware and Raritan rivers, but it was not until 1830 that he formed the Camden and Amboy Railway company, and 1832 that he completed the first railway across New Jersey, operated by his sons Robert L. Stevens (q.v.) and Edward A. Stevens.