Nathaniel Baldwin
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Baldwin was the inventor of headphones
and a supporter of the early Mormon fundamentalist movement.
, Millard County, Utah
to Nathaniel B. Baldwin, a native of Ontario, Canada, and Margaret Ohler, a native of Philadelphia. Baldwin's family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) and his mother was his father's second polygamous wife. As a child, he was interested in technology and built his own bicycle
and steam engine
.
, receiving a degree in electrical engineering
. He then returned to BYA to teach physics and theology and remained after its name changed to Brigham Young University
(BYU). Though the LDS Church had officially discontinued the practice of polygamy in 1890
, and again in 1904
, fellow professor John Tanner Clark convinced Baldwin the church was making a mistake. Since the LDS Church owned BYU, this led to Baldwin's firing and Clark's excommunication in 1905.
. He was also an electrician and air compressor
operator while he experimented with sound amplification using compressed air. He used this to invent more sensitive receivers, which he made into the first modern headphones
in 1910 and sold to the U.S. Navy. His first ones were made by hand in his kitchen and, despite the Navy's suggestion, never patented because he considered their invention "trivial."
In 1914, Baldwin started a radio factory in East Millcreek, Utah
called The Baldwin Radio Company. He powered the plant and the neighborhood through a hydroelectric generator which he made out of bicycle wheels and piano wire. The company peaked at 150 employees and $2 million in annual sales in the 1920s. One legend tells that Philo Farnsworth
built his first television in Baldwin's factory.
, Leslie Broadbent, and Lyman Jessop. During this time, these employees drew up plans to create the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(FLDS Church) in southern Utah. He is considered the most important financial support to the Mormon fundamentalist community before his company failed.
Unwise investments, often with fellow supporters of polygamy, led to Baldwin's company's bankruptcy in 1924. In a new business venture with his polygamous friends, Baldwin began selling stock for the Omega Investment Company, which led to his conviction of mail fraud in 1930 and two-year sentence at McNeil Island Federal Prison. After this period, Baldwin gave up inventing for the rest of his life.
Despite his doctrinal support of polygamy, he only married once, to Elizabeth Ann Butler. They were the parents of six children.
Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers, or less commonly a single speaker, held close to a user's ears and connected to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player or portable Media Player. They are also known as stereophones, headsets or, colloquially, cans. The in-ear...
and a supporter of the early Mormon fundamentalist movement.
Biography
Baldwin was born in FillmoreFillmore, Utah
Fillmore is a city in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,253 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Millard County. It is named for the thirteenth US President Millard Fillmore....
, Millard County, Utah
Millard County, Utah
Millard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. In 2010, its population was 12,420. It was named for Millard Fillmore, thirteenth President of the United States. Its county seat is Fillmore and the largest city is Delta.-Geography:...
to Nathaniel B. Baldwin, a native of Ontario, Canada, and Margaret Ohler, a native of Philadelphia. Baldwin's family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) and his mother was his father's second polygamous wife. As a child, he was interested in technology and built his own bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
and steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
.
Teaching
Baldwin studied at Brigham Young Academy (BYA), Utah State Agricultural College, and then Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, receiving a degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
. He then returned to BYA to teach physics and theology and remained after its name changed to Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). Though the LDS Church had officially discontinued the practice of polygamy in 1890
1890 Manifesto
The "1890 Manifesto", sometimes simply called "The Manifesto", is a statement which officially disavowed the continuing practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, and again in 1904
Second Manifesto
The "Second Manifesto" was a 1904 declaration made by Joseph F. Smith, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , in which Smith stated the church was no longer sanctioning marriages that violated the laws of the land and set down the principle that those entering into or...
, fellow professor John Tanner Clark convinced Baldwin the church was making a mistake. Since the LDS Church owned BYU, this led to Baldwin's firing and Clark's excommunication in 1905.
Inventing and business
Baldwin then worked at remote hydroelectric plants at the Snake Creek near Heber City and in East Mill Creek CanyonCanyon Rim, Utah
Canyon Rim was a census-designated place in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, that has since been consolidated with neighboring Millcreek CDP. The population was 10,428 at the 2000 census, a minuscule decrease from the 1990 figure of 10,527...
. He was also an electrician and air compressor
Air compressor
An air compressor is a device that converts power into kinetic energy by compressing and pressurizing air, which, on command, can be released in quick bursts...
operator while he experimented with sound amplification using compressed air. He used this to invent more sensitive receivers, which he made into the first modern headphones
Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers, or less commonly a single speaker, held close to a user's ears and connected to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player or portable Media Player. They are also known as stereophones, headsets or, colloquially, cans. The in-ear...
in 1910 and sold to the U.S. Navy. His first ones were made by hand in his kitchen and, despite the Navy's suggestion, never patented because he considered their invention "trivial."
In 1914, Baldwin started a radio factory in East Millcreek, Utah
East Millcreek, Utah
East Millcreek was a census-designated place in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, that has since been consolidated with neighboring Millcreek CDP. The population was 21,385 at the 2000 census, a minute increase over the 1990 figure of 21,184. It was originally proposed to be included in the...
called The Baldwin Radio Company. He powered the plant and the neighborhood through a hydroelectric generator which he made out of bicycle wheels and piano wire. The company peaked at 150 employees and $2 million in annual sales in the 1920s. One legend tells that Philo Farnsworth
Philo Farnsworth
Philo Taylor Farnsworth was an American inventor and television pioneer. Although he made many contributions that were crucial to the early development of all-electronic television, he is perhaps best known for inventing the first fully functional all-electronic image pickup device , the "image...
built his first television in Baldwin's factory.
Mormon fundamentalism
Baldwin used his success to help support the post-manifesto polygamous movement in the 1920s. Many officers in his company were leading polygamists, including Lorin C. Woolley, John Y. Barlow, Israel BarlowIsrael Barlow
Israel Barlow was born in Granville, Massachusetts and died in Bountiful, Utah. Barlow was one of the founders of Nauvoo, Illinois and a noted early member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With four wives and twenty one offspring, Israel Barlow has more than 10,000...
, Leslie Broadbent, and Lyman Jessop. During this time, these employees drew up plans to create the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS Church) in southern Utah. He is considered the most important financial support to the Mormon fundamentalist community before his company failed.
Unwise investments, often with fellow supporters of polygamy, led to Baldwin's company's bankruptcy in 1924. In a new business venture with his polygamous friends, Baldwin began selling stock for the Omega Investment Company, which led to his conviction of mail fraud in 1930 and two-year sentence at McNeil Island Federal Prison. After this period, Baldwin gave up inventing for the rest of his life.
Despite his doctrinal support of polygamy, he only married once, to Elizabeth Ann Butler. They were the parents of six children.