John Stevens (inventor, born 1749)
| John Stevens III | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Treasurer of New Jersey | |
|
In office 1776–1779 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 24, 1749 New York City, Province of New York, British America |
| Died | March 6, 1838 (aged 88) Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Cox (m. 1782; his death 1838) |
| Children | 13, including John, Robert, Edwin |
| Parents |
John Stevens Elizabeth Alexander |
| Residence | Castle Point |
| Alma mater | Kings College |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 Continental Army
|
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Revolutionary War |
Col. John Stevens, III (June 26, 1749 – March 6, 1838) was an American lawyer, engineer, and inventor who constructed the first U.S. steam locomotive, first steam-powered ferry, and first U.S. commercial ferry service from his estate in Hoboken. He was influential in the creation of U.S. patent law.
Stevens was born June 26, 1749, in New York City, New York. He was the only son of John Stevens Jr. (1715–1792), a prominent state politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, and Elizabeth Alexander (1726–1800). His sister, Mary Stevens (d. 1814), married Robert R. Livingston, the first Chancellor of the State of New York.
His maternal grandparents were James Alexander (1691–1756), the Attorney General of New Jersey, and Mary (née Spratt) Provoost Alexander (1693–1760), herself a prominent merchant in New York City. His paternal grandfather, John Stevens, emigrated from London England around 1695, and was married to Mary Campbell.
He graduated King's College (which became Columbia University) in May 1768.
After his graduation from King's College, he studied law and was admitted to the bar of New York City in 1771. He practiced law in New York and lived across the river. At public auction, he bought from the state of New Jersey a piece of land which had been confiscated from a Tory landowner. The land, described as "William Bayard's farm at Hoebuck" comprised approximately what is now the city of Hoboken. Stevens built his estate at Castle Point, on land that would later become the site of Stevens Institute of Technology (bequeathed by his son Edwin Augustus Stevens).
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