John Stephenson (coachbuilder)
Encyclopedia
John G. Stephenson an American coachbuilder, invented and patented the first streetcar to run on rails in the United States
. On 26 November 1832, the New York and Harlem Railroad
was formally opened. Twelve days later a horse-drawn streetcar
built at Stephenson's works and named John Mason after the president of the railroad company, started the public service. Stephenson is therefore remembered as the creator of the tramway.
with his parents, James and Grace Stephenson, when he was two years old. After attending public schools in New York City
, he completed his education at the Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Connecticut
. At the age of 19, he became an apprentice to Abram Brower, the pioneer of the Broadway stage lines.
Stephenson died at his summer home in New Rochelle, New York
in 1893.
where he built omnibus cars
for Brower until a fire destroyed his shop in March 1832. He immediately moved to a new site on Elizabeth Street near Bleecker
where he continued to build omnibuses which proved to be a huge success on the streets of New York.
However, soon afterwards he received an order from John Mason
, a successful merchant and banker, to build a horse car for the New York and Harlem Railroad
which had just been granted a charter authorizing a route from Fourth Avenue
and the Bowery
north to the Harlem River
. The first stretch was opened from Prince to 14th Street
on November 26, 1832, with a procession of the four cars developed for the company. Stephenson's car, named "John Mason
" or simply the "Mason" after the company's president, was in the lead with the mayor and other dignitaries. He had modeled it after the English four-wheeled passenger railroad car but dropped the body down over the wheels for easier access. Four horses pulled the car and it carried up to 30 passengers in its three compartments. It was Stephenson's design which was finally adopted. In April 1833, he obtained a U.S. patent for it.
. In 1836, business prospered even more rapidly after Ross Winans
developed his eight-wheeled vehicles. Stephenson built a larger factory at Fourth Avenue
and 129th Street. At first business prospered and he received an increasing number of orders, especially for railway cars. He was doing good business when the panic of 1837 struck the country, causing him years of distress as the bonds he had accepted in lieu of cash for orders became worthless. In 1842, his business finally failed and he lost all his property. He was only able to pay his creditors 50 cents on the dollar.
Undeterred, Stephenson found a new site on West 27th Street, where in 1843 he started to develop a business which eventually covered 16 city lots. Streetcars continued to gain popularity, allowing Stephenson to prosper for the remainder of his life. It was not long before he had fully reimbursed all his creditors and became known as Honest John Stephenson. From 1852 he put all his efforts into building streetcars of various types as their popularity extended to cities throughout the world including, for example, Bombay and Caracas
. For many years, he was the world's largest builder of streetcars. By the time of his death in 1893, his factory had 500 employees and was producing some 25 cars a week.
As time went by, Stephenson introduced a number of improvements to his streetcars. Perhaps the most important was to reduce the weight from 6,800 pounds to just 3,500 pounds, allowing just two rather than four horses to pull the vehicle. He achieved this by using hickory or ash instead of oak and adding larger windows rather than wood. He placed seats along the sides of the vehicle and used a single rear entrance rather than doors along the side.
He also devised many other improvements in rail car design and was successful in filing at least 11 patents in his own name. It is estimated that the John Stephenson Company made some 25,000 cars in the period 1876–1891 alone and an untold number over the life of the company.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. On 26 November 1832, the New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
was formally opened. Twelve days later a horse-drawn streetcar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
built at Stephenson's works and named John Mason after the president of the railroad company, started the public service. Stephenson is therefore remembered as the creator of the tramway.
Life
John Stephenson emigrated to the United States from IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
with his parents, James and Grace Stephenson, when he was two years old. After attending public schools in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he completed his education at the Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. At the age of 19, he became an apprentice to Abram Brower, the pioneer of the Broadway stage lines.
Stephenson died at his summer home in New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
in 1893.
First streetcar
In May 1831, Stephenson started his own business, the John Stephenson Company, on 667 BroadwayBroadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
where he built omnibus cars
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
for Brower until a fire destroyed his shop in March 1832. He immediately moved to a new site on Elizabeth Street near Bleecker
Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street is a street in New York City's Manhattan borough. It is perhaps most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street is a spine that connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which was once a major center for American bohemia.Bleecker...
where he continued to build omnibuses which proved to be a huge success on the streets of New York.
However, soon afterwards he received an order from John Mason
John Mason (businessman)
John Mason was an early American businessperson, merchant and banker. Mason served as the second president of Chemical Bank from 1831 through 1839 and would later be referred to as "the father of the Chemical Bank". Mason was a founder of the New York and Harlem Railroad, one of the first...
, a successful merchant and banker, to build a horse car for the New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
which had just been granted a charter authorizing a route from Fourth Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
and the Bowery
Bowery
Bowery may refer to:Streets:* The Bowery, a thoroughfare in Manhattan, New York City* Bowery Street is a street on Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y.In popular culture:* Bowery Amphitheatre, a building on the Bowery in New York City...
north to the Harlem River
Harlem River
The Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
. The first stretch was opened from Prince to 14th Street
14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....
on November 26, 1832, with a procession of the four cars developed for the company. Stephenson's car, named "John Mason
John Mason (businessman)
John Mason was an early American businessperson, merchant and banker. Mason served as the second president of Chemical Bank from 1831 through 1839 and would later be referred to as "the father of the Chemical Bank". Mason was a founder of the New York and Harlem Railroad, one of the first...
" or simply the "Mason" after the company's president, was in the lead with the mayor and other dignitaries. He had modeled it after the English four-wheeled passenger railroad car but dropped the body down over the wheels for easier access. Four horses pulled the car and it carried up to 30 passengers in its three compartments. It was Stephenson's design which was finally adopted. In April 1833, he obtained a U.S. patent for it.
Failures and successes
Orders for his design came in not only received from New York and other U.S. cities but also from CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. In 1836, business prospered even more rapidly after Ross Winans
Ross Winans
Ross Winans was an American inventor, mechanic, and builder of locomotives and railroad machinery. He is also noted for design of pioneering cigar-hulled ships. Winans, one of the United States' first multi-millionaires, was involved in politics and was a vehement states' rights advocate...
developed his eight-wheeled vehicles. Stephenson built a larger factory at Fourth Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
and 129th Street. At first business prospered and he received an increasing number of orders, especially for railway cars. He was doing good business when the panic of 1837 struck the country, causing him years of distress as the bonds he had accepted in lieu of cash for orders became worthless. In 1842, his business finally failed and he lost all his property. He was only able to pay his creditors 50 cents on the dollar.
Undeterred, Stephenson found a new site on West 27th Street, where in 1843 he started to develop a business which eventually covered 16 city lots. Streetcars continued to gain popularity, allowing Stephenson to prosper for the remainder of his life. It was not long before he had fully reimbursed all his creditors and became known as Honest John Stephenson. From 1852 he put all his efforts into building streetcars of various types as their popularity extended to cities throughout the world including, for example, Bombay and Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. For many years, he was the world's largest builder of streetcars. By the time of his death in 1893, his factory had 500 employees and was producing some 25 cars a week.
As time went by, Stephenson introduced a number of improvements to his streetcars. Perhaps the most important was to reduce the weight from 6,800 pounds to just 3,500 pounds, allowing just two rather than four horses to pull the vehicle. He achieved this by using hickory or ash instead of oak and adding larger windows rather than wood. He placed seats along the sides of the vehicle and used a single rear entrance rather than doors along the side.
He also devised many other improvements in rail car design and was successful in filing at least 11 patents in his own name. It is estimated that the John Stephenson Company made some 25,000 cars in the period 1876–1891 alone and an untold number over the life of the company.
Further reading
- Burrows, Edwin G.; Wallace, Mike, Gotham: a history of New York City to 1898. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999, 1383p, ISBN 0195116348
- Carman, Harry James: The street surface railway franchises of New York City. New York, Columbia University; 1919, 259p.
- Hornung, Clarence Pearson: Wheels across America: a pictorial cavalcade illustrating the early development of vehicular transportation. New York, A.S. Barnes, 1959, 341p.
- Kennedy, William Sloane: Wonders and curiosities of the railway; or, Stories of the locomotive in every land. Chicago, S.C. Griggs and Company, 1884, 254p.
- McShane, Clay; Tarr, Joel A: The horse in the city: living machines in the nineteenth century. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007, 242p. ISBN 9780801886003
- White, John H.: Horsecars, cable cars, and omnibuses: all 107 photographs from the John Stephenson Company album, 1888. New York: Dover Publications, 1974, 54 leaves of plates. ISBN 0486230090
- White, John H.: The American Railroad Passenger Car. Baltimore, MA: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978, 699p, ISBN 0801819652