Born in 1749, Colonel John Stevens III is a historical figure and the patriarch of the Stevens family that eventually went on to found Stevens Institute of Technology. As an inventor, lawyer, and innovator, Colonel Stevens was a man of many trades, years ahead of his time. Since the Colonel was so ahead of his time, The Stute was interested in finding out if he could have predicted what would happen with his home. To find out, The Stute met with a local medium on Friday the 13 under a moonless sky to contact Colonel Stevens from beyond the grave.
The meeting happened beneath the cliffs of Colonel Stevens’s estate in Sybil’s Cave. Stevens recognized the cave and led its excavation in 1832. His familiarity helped calm his temper, as he immediately could feel the legacy of rival inventor Robert Fulton emulating across the Hudson. We started by explaining how when his son, Edwin, passed away in 1868, he left a sum of money to start a school of learning, which grew into a nationally ranked institution of engineering, invention, and innovation. He was happy to hear his legacy of innovation has survived, and that Fulton only has high schools named after him.
The Stute then offered the Colonel a quick tour of campus, showing him pictures of Castle Stevens, explaining that his house burned down, and pointing out where Federal Hall, Trinity Church, and Fort Clinton were in the vibrant skyline of New York City. He was amazed by the immense innovation in his home and how his family’s legacy has survived for centuries and still stands as a beacon of invention and engineering.
Colonel Stevens was thrilled that the campus still has some older buildings but was excited to see his name shining across the Hudson atop the South Tower. He loved how Stevens now has many laboratories and research facilities that allow his family name to be the forerunner of great inventions and discoveries.
We needed to return to Sybil’s Cave as dawn approached to get the Colonel home. He chuckled and admitted although he was an innovative inventor, he could have never imagined what the Stevens name had become! He even joked that he might start a ghost engineering program at the institute to keep up with the times. As we bid him farewell, he promised to haunt the campus occasionally to ensure everyone kept up with his innovation legacy. We’re unsure if he was serious, but we’re watching for ghostly apparitions in the labs.
